otariid, eared seal (pinniped of the family Otariidae which comprises fur seals and sea lions) · southern fur seal (pinniped of the genus Arctocephalus within Otariidae)
First attested in a section of the Nihon Kōki dated to 810, with the spelling 葦鹿 (literally “reed + deer”). Also attested with the spelling 海馬, which spelling is now reserved for the word todo referring to the Steller sea lion, a specific type of sea lion. The modern kanji spelling 海驢 appears to be relatively recent. Ultimately the derivation is uncertain. Various theories exist: * May be a…