Inheraldry, the termsea-lion (sometimes called amorse)^[1] refers to alegendary creature that has the head and upper body of alion, but with webbed forelimbs and afish tail.^[2] These occur most frequently assupporters, but also occur ascrests and occasionally ascharges.^[1] Sea-lions are frequently found in "sejant" or "sejant-erect" (sitting upright)attitudes, but may also be found "naiant" (horizontally, as if swimming) or "assurgeant" (issuing from the waves of the sea).^[1]

The sea-lion is prominent in the heraldic tradition of thePhilippines, where it denotes state power and authority. It features on thecoats of arms ofthe capital, theprimatial see, the seal of thenavy, thepresidential seal, the seals of theDepartment of Finance, theDepartment of Education and other various government offices. It can also be found on the medal of thePhilippine Legion of Honor.

The heraldic device comes from Manila's colonial arms, where the sea-lion represents the islands as anultramar (overseas)possession of Spain; the lion is ultimately derived from the arms ofCastile andLeón.

On May 30, 1596,Philip II of Spain gaveManila its own specific coat of arms:^[3]

"On the upper half of the coat of arms is a castle of gold on a red field, with a door and windows in blue, atop the shield a crown. On the lower half, on a blue field is a figure half lion half dolphin in silver, with colored claws and tongue, holding in its paw an unsheathed sword..."

• A sea-lion can be seen on the Crest of the8th Marine Regiment of theUnited States Marine Corps.^[4]
• Thecarp statue, in front ofChenghuang Temple (城隍廟; Chénghuáng Miào) inHsinchu City,Taiwan.^[5]

• 
  A crowned sea-lion in the coat of arms of the city ofBurgas,Bulgaria.
• 
  Coat of arms ofBogor during theDutch colonisation
• 
  Arms of Spanish Manila, which were sometimes used for the Philippines as a whole.
• 
  The present arms of theCity of Manila.
• 
  Coat of Arms of thePrincipality of Sealand.

• Merlion, a similar mythic creature and the national symbol ofSingapore

• Sea Lion at Mythical Creatures List
• The Ancient Archipelagic Ultramar: Symbol of Manila, the Presidency, and the Philippines

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• Mythological hybrids

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