Serum protein variation in southern fur seals, Arctocephalus spp., in relation to their taxonomy

Abstract

Examination of serum samples from Arctocephalus spp. from southern Australia, New Zealand, and Macquarie I. revealed six transferrin types, which were assumed to be the products of four allelic genes, and two phenotypes of a haem-binding protein. Seals from South Neptune Is., Cape du Couedic, and the Recherche Archipelago were identical on these criteria; while those from Victoria were identical with those of Tasmania. This division is consistent with previous conclusions based on skull characters. The names there suggested for these two groups were A, forsteri and A. doriferus respectively. Transferrin types of New Zealand and Macquarie I. A. forsteri were not identical with those of Australian A. forsteri. It is suggested that fur seals may have been exterminated from South Australia and Western Australia and that recolonization was from New Zealand. Alternatively, these differences may indicate the existence of more than one species in these populations.