Histopathology of a harbor seal Phoca largha stranded on the coast of Toyama Bay, Sea of Japan

To estimate the debility and death of a harbor seal Phoca largha stranded o n the coast of Toyama Bay, Sea of Japan, on 3 March 1998, histopathological studies on the visceral organs were carried out. Abnormalities were found in four of the organs examined: considerable proliferation of actively phag ocytic macrophages in the lymph node; heavy inflammation of the jejunum vil li; a benign cortical adenoma in nodules present in the kidney; and a signe t ring cell carcinoma (adenocarcinomatous mucocellulare) associated with a marked scirrhous cancer developed in the stomach. The mucocellular carcinom a seemed to have been a main factor in the death of the seal.