What is the widely believed origin of the genus name *Mirounga*?
Answer
An Indigenous Australian word
The genus name *Mirounga* is believed to be derived from an Indigenous Australian word, possibly *mirowar*, which referred to a large aquatic animal.

Related Questions
To which Kingdom does the northern elephant seal belong?What family identifies the northern elephant seal as a "true seal"?What does the Latin species epithet *angustirostris* translate to?What defining characteristics place the elephant seal in Class Mammalia?To which suborder within Order Carnivora is the northern elephant seal assigned?What physical feature limits the terrestrial locomotion of true seals?What is the widely believed origin of the genus name *Mirounga*?How does the species *M. angustirostris* differ from *M. leonina* regarding the male's nose structure?According to the text, when was the Northern elephant seal formally described and named?What characteristic must an animal exhibit at some developmental stage to belong to Phylum Chordata?