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Northern elephant seal vision: the science and the numbers

Mirounga angustirostris · order Carnivora · Mammals: all the numbers

The northern elephant seal has 2 colour receptor classes (491.7 and 555 nm).[1][2] Its activity pattern is cathemeral.[13][14][15][16][17][18]

See it on your photoBack to How does the northern elephant seal see?
  • 2colour receptor classesMeasured*

The northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) is a mammal in the order Carnivora. Its eyes belong to the vision type Marine mammal cone monochromat: a single cone type, so no hue at all, in a rod-dominated eye. Measured in this species: colour, foveas and night vision. Measured core: measured values on at least 3 of the 6 dials.

This is a simulation built from published eye measurements, not what the animal experiences.

Method: How we know what animals see (the See Like Animals vision engine) · Sources · Last updated . Every value below carries its evidence level and sources; nothing is typed by hand.

What the northern elephant seal sees: colour receptors

Northern elephant seal colour receptor peaks, 300 to 700 nmNorthern elephant seal: 2 receptor peaks at 491.7, 555 nm; you: 3 at 421.5, 532, 558.4 nm. ultraviolet300400500600700
Northern elephant seal: 491.7, 555 nmPeople: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

  • It has two colour receptor classes (a dichromat): reds and greens fall on one axis, as in red-green colour blindness in people.
  • Activity pattern: cathemeral.

The six dials

Evidence levels: how the tiers work. "Measured" means a value measured in this species; "Estimated" values come from a close relative or an eye-size formula. The last column gives the values for people from the same catalogue.

Vision values for the northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris), catalogue-v1
DialValueEvidenceSourcesPeople
ColourColour receptors
2 receptor classes: 491.7 nm (MWS (green)), 555 nm (LWS (long))
measured in this species
Measured (not re-verified)[1][2]Colour receptors: 3 receptor classes: 421.5 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 532 nm (MWS (green)), 558.4 nm (LWS (long)) Measured (not re-verified)[2][3][4][5]
SharpnessAcuity
3.6 cycles per degree
median of 1 relatives in family Phocidae: Phoca vitulina
Estimated[6]Acuity: 63.75 cycles per degree Measured[6][7]
Field of viewBinocular overlap
88.5°
median of 4 relatives in order Carnivora: Canis lupus, Felis catus, Mustela putorius, Mustela nivalis
Group default[8][9]Binocular overlap: 122.5° Measured[8][9]
Total field of view: 200° Measured (not re-verified)[10]
Blind area behind the head: 160° Derived[10]
Eye placement: frontal Derived[8][9]
Total field of view
250°
median species-v1 total field of order Carnivora: Canis familiaris
Group default[11]
Sharp zones (foveas)Number of foveas
0
fovea_present / area_centralis_type (retinal topography; count 1 = fovea present, 0 = none)
Measured[12]Number of foveas: 1 Measured[12]
Fovea type: fovea Measured[12]
Fovea type
area centralis		Measured[12]
Night visionActivity pattern
cathemeral
mode of 4 rows (of 6 rows): aquatic; cathemeral; diurnal/crepuscular; mesopic; mixed (nocturnal/crepuscular, cathemeral, crepuscular or diurnal/crepuscular)
Measured (not re-verified)[13][14][15][16][17][18]Activity pattern: diurnal Measured (not re-verified)[19][13][14][2][15][16][17][18]
Pupil shape: vertical Group default[20][21]
Reflective layer (tapetum): no Measured[22]
Rods vs cones: cone-dominated Derived[19][13][14][2][15][16][17][18]
Rods vs cones
mixed
nocturnal -> rod-dominated; crepuscular / cathemeral / mixed -> mixed; diurnal -> cone-dominated
Derived[13][14][15][16][17][18]
Motion (flicker fusion)Flicker fusion frequency
22.5 Hz
median of 1 relatives in family Phocidae: Pagophilus groenlandicus
Estimated[23]Flicker fusion frequency: 60 Hz Measured[24][23]

All mammals side by side: Mammals: every measurement. Method: how we know what animals see.

Sources

  1. Murphy et al. 2022
  2. Longcore 2023
  3. Kirwan
  4. Müller et al. 2009
  5. Thermal Activation and Photoactivation of Visual… 2004
  6. Kirk et al. 2004
  7. Veilleux et al. 2014
  8. Heesy 2004
  9. Heffner et al. 1992
  10. Campbell & Green 1965
  11. Miller & Murphy 1995
  12. Kopania et al. 2025
  13. Borges et al. 2018
  14. Wilman et al. 2014
  15. Maor et al. 2017
  16. Jones et al. 2009
  17. Schmitz et al. 2011
  18. Moura et al. 2024
  19. Anderson et al. 2017
  20. Banks et al. 2015
  21. Cervino et al. 2021
  22. Guareschi et al. 2025
  23. Inger et al. 2014
  24. Healy et al. 2013

Every value cites its sources (all sources). Values were extracted from these works and converted (units, medians, derived values); changes are ours, and the listed sources do not endorse this site. Data: catalogue-v1, built 2026-09-29. Accuracy notes: how accurate is this? Method: how we know.