Abstract

The specific epithets most commonly used for the southern sea lion have been O. jubata, O. leonina, O. flavescens and O. byronia. The latter two are still currently in use. The re-examination of the names that have been applied to the taxon suggests that byronia should have the priority. The epithet flavescens is invalid because the holotype on which the name was based was not a southern sea lion but a neonatal specimen of an arcotocephaline.