Why is the black marking on an adult harp seal’s back called a harp-shaped or saddle-shaped marking?
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harp seal
A mother harp seal and a young “whitecoat.” Adult harp seals are gray with black spots. Young harp seals are called “whitecoats,” “bedlamers,” “beaters,” or “graybacks,” depending on their age.
The black marking on an adult harp seal’s back is described as harp-shaped or saddle-shaped simply because of its physical appearance. This distinctive dark pattern, which typically develops upon the onset of sexual maturity at four or five years of age, is the primary reason for the animal's common name.12