(seals)

Phocidae

There are 19 species in this family. Most seal species are found in the Arctic and Antarctica, but seals are found along coastlines around the world from the North Pole south to 30 degrees north latitude and from Antarctica north to 50 degrees south latitude. One seal, the Baikal seal, lives only in Lake Baikal in Russia. The species in this family have torpedo-shaped bodies; short, front flippers with claws; and large hind flippers. Unlike the fur seals and the sea lions, they have no external ears and can not walk on their flippers. They use their front flippers to steer in the water and their rear flippers to propel themselves in the water. They have fur, but in some species their fur is very sparse!

Phocidae Genera

Phocidae General Resources

Cystophora (hooded seal)

Erignathus (bearded seal)

Halichoerus (gray seal)

Histriophoca (ribbon seal)

Hydrurga (leopard seal)

Leptonychotes (Weddell seal)

Lobodon (crabeater seal)

Mirounga (elephant seals)

Monachus (monk seals)

Ommatophoca (Ross seal)

Pagophilus (harp seal)

Phoca (harbor seals)

Pusa (ringed, Baikal, and Caspian seals)