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Why are bearded seals named for their whiskers?
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seal
Crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus).
The bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) is named for the prominent, bushy, and bristly whiskers located on each side of its muzzle. These distinctive facial features give the seal the appearance of having a beard. Beyond their namesake appearance, these sensitive whiskers are highly functional; the animal likely uses them to scrape the seafloor to locate and forage for prey, such as clams and other bottom-dwelling organisms.12