According to the article What’s Left of Patagonia at Interesting Thing of the Day, both seals and sea lions are pinnipeds, or “fin-feet,” but…
- Sea lions have much larger front flippers than seals.
- Sea lions have back flippers that can rotate underneath them; seals don’t.
- When on land, sea lions can walk on all four flippers, whereas seals sort of slide or bounce along on their bellies.
- Sea lions have external ear flaps, whereas seals have ear holes but no outer appendage.
