South American sea lions (Otaria byronia), also known as maned seals, are the most sexually dimorphic of the five known sea lion species. Males are approximately three times the size of females.

Adult males range from 2 to 2.5 meters in height and can weigh from 200 to 350 kilograms. The coat is dark brown on the dorsal side and dark yellow to gold on the ventral side. Males have a full mane, which is a paler color than the coat and a larger, more muscled neck than do females. A male's posture is usually upright, with the rostrum turned upward.

Adult females are much smaller in size and weight. They average 2 meters in height and can weigh from 140 to 150 kilograms, roughly half the average weight of an adult male. Their coats are also lighter in color relative to males. Coat color ranges from a fair brown to yellow with some pale markings around the head.

Pups do not exhibit this brown color until about a month after they are born. Neonates are greyish orange ventrally and black dorsally. This coat later turns to a dark chocolate brown color. Sexual dimorphism is shown in pups as well as in adults. According to a study in Peninsula Valdes, Argentina (Capposso et. al 1991), male pups averaged .82 meters in length and 13.7 kilograms in weight. In contrast, female pups averaged .79 meters in length and 12.3 kilograms in weight (Cappozzo, Campagna, and Monserrat, 1991; Grzimek, 1990; MacDonald, 1985; Nowak, 1999; Ridgway and Harrison, 1981)