phocine
/ˈfəʊsʌɪn
/adjective Zoology
Relating to or affecting the true (earless) seals: phocine distemper virus...
- Empirical study of behavior can help prevent disease in species of conservation concern like phocine distemper in grey seals.
- The manager of the Orkney Seal Rescue Centre is playing down the significance of the first confirmed case of phocine distemper virus in Scotland, in a common seal washed ashore at Dornoch last month.
- The latest outbreak of phocine distemper virus has already killed more than 1,500 seals in other parts of Britain.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from modern Latin Phocinae (subfamily name), from Greek phōkē 'seal'.