---
title: "Krabbeneter"
description: "Lobodon carcinophaga — Zoogdieren. The crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophaga), also known as the krill-eater seal, is a true seal with a circumpolar distribution around the coast of Antarctica."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/nl/animal/crabeater-seal
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Krabbeneter

> Lobodon carcinophaga — Zoogdieren. The crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophaga), also known as the krill-eater seal, is a true seal with a circumpolar distribution around the coast of Antarctica.

- Scientific name: *Lobodon carcinophaga*
- Category: `mammals` (Zoogdieren)
- Habitats: `sea` (Zee en kust), `arctic` (Poolgebied)
- iNaturalist observations: 1320
- Wikidata: [Q626027](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q626027)
- iNaturalist taxon: [41700](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/41700)

## Names

- en: Crabeater Seal
- de: Krabbenfresser
- es: Foca cangrejera
- fr: Phoque crabier
- it: Lobodon carcinophagus
- nl: Krabbeneter
- pt: Foca-caranguejeira
- pl: Krabojad foczy

## Countries with the most observations

NZ (12), AR (9), AU (7), BR (7), ZA (4)

## Summary

The crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophaga), also known as the krill-eater seal, is a true seal with a circumpolar distribution around the coast of Antarctica. They are the only member of the genus Lobodon. They are medium- to large-sized (over 2 m (6.6 ft) in length), relatively slender and pale-colored, found primarily on the free-floating pack ice that extends seasonally out from the Antarctic coast, which they use as a platform for resting, mating, social aggregation and accessing their prey. They are by far the most abundant seal species in the world.  While population estimates are uncertain, there are at least…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crabeater_seal

## Photo

![Krabbeneter](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/crabeater-seal/medium.jpg)

Photo: Hugo Hulsberg · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61632606

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/crabeater-seal?lang=nl` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).