PBDB Taxon

Basic info	Taxonomic history	Classification	Included Taxa
Morphology	Ecology and taphonomy	External Literature Search	Age range and collections

Phoca (seal)

Mammalia - Carnivora - Phocidae

Taxonomy

Phoca was named by Linnaeus (1758) [Sepkoski's age data: T Mi-m R]. It is extant. It is the type genus of Phocidae.

It was assigned to Ferae by Linnaeus (1758); to Miomaci by Illiger (1811); to Phocina by Gray (1825), Nordmann (1860), Gray (1866) and Gray (1871); to Phocidae by Gray (1821), Gray (1850), Allen (1902), Hay (1902), Palmer (1904), Kellogg (1922), Zittel (1925), Carroll (1988) and Vidal (1991); to Phocinina by Koretsky (2001); to Carnivora by Newton (1891) and Sepkoski (2002); to Phocina by Fulton and Strobeck (2010); to Phocinae by Gill (1866), Allen (1880), Trouessart (1898), Trouessart (1904), Turner (1912), Alekseev (1924), Hay (1930), Friant (1947), McLaren (1960), Burns and Fay (1970), Kurten and Anderson (1980), Riedman (1990), Koretsky (1991), Berta (2002), Koretsky and Holec (2002), Deméré et al. (2003), Koretsky and Barnes (2006), Berta (2009), Berta (2017) and Berta (2018); and to Phocini by Scheffer and Rice (1963), Muizon (1981), Thomas et al. (1982), Muizon (1982), McKenna and Bell (1997), Davis et al. (2004), Koretsky and Barnes (2008), Berta et al. (2018) and Kienle and Berta (2019).

Species

P. (Phoca), P. caspica, P. hispida (syn. P. annellata), P. largha (syn. P. insularis), P. moori, P. vitulina (syn. Halichoerus antarcticus, Halicyon pealei)

Synonyms

Haliphilus was named by Gray (1866). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Phoca by Trouessart (1898), Trouessart (1904) and McKenna and Bell (1997).
Arctias was named by Rafinesque (1815). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Phoca by McKenna and Bell (1997).
Pagophoca was named by Trouessart (1904). It is extant.

It was reranked as Phoca (Pagophoca) by Friant (1947); it was synonymized subjectively with Phoca by McKenna and Bell (1997).

It was assigned to Phocidae by Trouessart (1904) and Kellogg (1922); and to Phoca by Friant (1947).
Caspiopusa was named by Dybowski (1929). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Phoca by McKenna and Bell (1997).
Callocephalus was named by Cuvier (1827). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Phoca by Gill (1866), Allen (1880), Trouessart (1898), Trouessart (1904) and McKenna and Bell (1997).

It was assigned to Phocidae by Gray (1850); and to Phocina by Gray (1866) and Gray (1871).
Pagomys was named by Gray (1860). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Pusa by Trouessart (1898) and Trouessart (1904); it was synonymized subjectively with Phoca by McKenna and Bell (1997).

It was assigned to Phocinae by Gill (1866); to Phocina by Gray (1866) and Gray (1871); and to Phocidae by Palmer (1904).
Halicyon was named by Gray (1864). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Phoca by Gill (1866), Trouessart (1898), Trouessart (1904) and McKenna and Bell (1997).

It was assigned to Phocina by Gray (1866) and Gray (1871).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1758	Phoca Linnaeus p. 37
1811	Phoca Illiger p. 138
1815	Arctias Rafinesque p. 60
1821	Phoca Gray p. 310
1825	Phoca Gray p. 340
1827	Callocephalus Cuvier
1850	Callocephalus Gray p. 21
1850	Phoca Gray p. 26
1860	Pagomys Gray
1860	Phoca Nordmann p. 298
1864	Halicyon Gray
1866	Pagomys Gill p. 5
1866	Phoca Gill p. 5
1866	Callocephalus Gray p. 20
1866	Pagomys Gray p. 22
1866	Halicyon Gray p. 27
1866	Phoca Gray p. 31
1866	Haliphilus Gray p. 466
1871	Callocephalus Gray p. 1
1871	Halicyon Gray p. 2
1871	Pagomys Gray p. 2
1871	Phoca Gray p. 2
1880	Phoca Allen p. 557
1891	Phoca Newton p. 17
1898	Phoca Trouessart p. 382
1902	Phoca Allen p. 474
1902	Phoca Hay p. 785
1904	Pagomys Palmer p. 497
1904	Phoca Palmer p. 532
1904	Phoca Trouessart p. 285
1904	Pagophoca Trouessart p. 287
1912	Phoca Turner p. 178
1922	Phoca Kellogg p. 45
1922	Pagophoca Kellogg p. 123
1924	Phoca Alekseev p. 27
1925	Phoca Zittel p. 78
1929	Caspiopusa Dybowski p. 414
1930	Phoca Hay p. 562
1947	Phoca Friant p. 7
1947	Phoca (Pagophoca) Friant p. 7
1960	Phoca McLaren p. 57
1963	Phoca Scheffer and Rice p. 3
1970	Phoca Burns and Fay p. 380
1980	Phoca Kurten and Anderson p. 204
1981	Phoca Muizon p. 135
1982	Phoca Muizon p. 205 figs. Table 1
1982	Phoca Thomas et al. p. 1
1988	Phoca Carroll
1990	Phoca Riedman p. 57 figs. Table 2
1991	Phoca Koretsky p. 41A
1991	Phoca Vidal p. 6
1997	Phoca McKenna and Bell p. 257
2001	Phoca Koretsky p. 85
2002	Phoca Berta p. 923
2002	Phoca Koretsky and Holec p. 175
2002	Phoca Sepkoski
2003	Phoca Deméré et al. p. 49 figs. Fig. 3.3
2004	Phoca Davis et al. p. 365
2006	Phoca Koretsky and Barnes p. 148
2008	Phoca Koretsky and Barnes p. 547
2009	Phoca Berta p. 863
2010	Phoca Fulton and Strobeck p. 817 fig. Figure
2017	Phoca Berta p. 157
2018	Phoca Berta p. 715 figs. Fig. 3C
2018	Phoca Berta et al. p. 210 figs. Fig. 2
2019	Phoca Kienle and Berta

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Osteichthyes	()
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota
subclass	Synapsida
—	Therapsida	()
infraorder	Cynodontia	()
—	Mammaliamorpha
—	Mammaliaformes
class	Mammalia
—	Theriamorpha	(Rowe 1993)
—	Theriiformes	()

Rank	Name	Author
—	Trechnotheria
—	Cladotheria
—	Zatheria
subclass	Tribosphenida	()
subclass	Theria
—	Eutheria	()
—	Placentalia
—	Boreoeutheria
—	Laurasiatheria
—	Scrotifera
—	Ferae	()
—	Carnivoramorpha	Wyss and Flynn 1993
—	Carnivoraformes	Flynn et al.
order	Carnivora
suborder	Caniformia	Kretzoi 1943
infraorder	Canoidea	(Simpson 1931)
superfamily	Arctoidea	Flower 1869
—	Panpinnipedia	Wolsan et al. 2020
—	Pinnipedimorpha
—	Pinnipedia	()
superfamily	Phocoidea	Smirnov 1908
family	Phocidae	()
subfamily	Phocinae
genus	Phoca

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

G. Phoca Linnaeus 1758 [seal]

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Subg. Phoca (Phoca) Trouessart 1898

Phoca caspica Nilsson 1837

Phoca hispida Schreber 1775 [ringed seal]

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Invalid names: Phoca annellata Nillson 1820 [synonym]

Phoca largha Pallas 1811

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Invalid names: Phoca insularis Belkin 1964 [synonym]

†Phoca moori Newton 1890

Phoca vitulina Linnaeus 1758 [harbor seal]

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Phoca richardii geronimensis Allen 1902

Phoca vitulina concolor De Kay 1842

Phoca vitulina richardii Gray 1866

Phoca richardii pribilofensis Allen 1902

Invalid names: Halichoerus antarcticus Peale 1848 [synonym]

Phoca vitulina stejnegeri Allen 1902

Invalid names: Arctias Rafinesque 1815 [synonym], Callocephalus Cuvier 1827 [synonym], Caspiopusa Dybowski 1929 [synonym], Halicyon Gray 1864 [synonym], Haliphilus Gray 1866 [synonym], Pagomys Gray 1860 [synonym], Pagophoca Trouessart 1904 [synonym]

Diagnosis

No diagnoses are available

Measurements

part	N	mean

Composition:

hydroxyapatiteuc

Ontogeny:

modification of partsuc

Environment:

marineuc

Locomotion:

actively mobilec

Life habit:

amphibiousuc

Diet:

piscivoref

Diet 2:

carnivoref

Reproduction:

viviparousuc

Created:

2005-06-08 10:11:09

Modified:

2005-06-08 12:11:09

Source: f = family, c = class, uc = unranked clade

References: Carreño and Cronin 1993, Gingerich 2003, Nowak 1991, Hendy et al. 2009

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Early/Lower Miocene to the top of the Holocene or 23.03000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 15.97 Ma

Collections (144 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Early/Lower Miocene	23.03 - 15.97	Ukraine	Phoca sp. (75068)
Miocene	23.03 - 5.333	Netherlands	Phoca sp. (190171)
Sarmatian	12.7 - 11.608	Austria	Phoca sp. (70505)
Tortonian	11.62 - 7.246	Ukraine	Phoca sp. (52073)
Late/Upper Pliocene	3.6 - 2.588	United Kingdom (England)	Phoca moori (77753)
Piacenzian	3.6 - 2.588	United Kingdom (England)	Phoca moori (77745)
Piacenzian	3.6 - 2.588	USA (California)	Phoca sp. (59065)
Gelasian	2.588 - 1.806	United Kingdom (England)	Phoca indet. (48093)
Early/Lower Pleistocene	2.588 - 0.781	Greenland	Phoca hispida (107728)
Pleistocene	2.588 - 0.0117	USA (New Jersey)	Phoca sp. (65469)
Pleistocene	2.588 - 0.0117	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Callocephalus vitulinus (140360) Phoca hispida (74234) Phoca vitulina (74233 140364 140365 140366)
Pleistocene	2.588 - 0.0117	USA (Oregon)	Phoca vitulina (59062)
Irvingtonian	1.8 - 0.3	USA (California)	Phoca vitulina (20338)
Middle Pleistocene	0.774 - 0.129	United Kingdom (Norfolk)	Phoca sp. (49816)
Middle Pleistocene	0.774 - 0.129	Japan (Aomori)	Phoca vitulina, Phoca largha (101897)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	Norway (Sunnmore)	Phoca hispida (125317)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)	0.129 - 0.0117	USA (California)	Phoca vitulina (20645)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	USA (California)	Phoca sp. (152093) Phoca vitulina (59063 59064)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	Canada (Yukon)	Phoca sp. (73691) Phoca sp., Phoca hispida (73693)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	Sweden	Phoca hispida (90198 90199)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	USA (New York)	Phoca vitulina, Cystophora cristata (51025)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	Norway	Phoca hispida (227340) Phoca sp. (162578 227445)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	Russian Federation (Leningrad)	Phoca hispida (81837)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	Canada (Quebec)	Phoca hispida (51023 81834) Phoca indet. (96881) Phoca sp. (51004 51027 96882 96883)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	Russian Federation (Siberia)	Phoca hispida (81836)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	Greenland	Phoca hispida (107729)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	Japan (Aomori)	Phoca largha (101898 101899)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	Spain	Phoca hispida (215645) Phoca vitulina (215657)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	Canada (Ontario)	Phoca hispida (51009) Phoca sp. (51011 51024 51026 51028 51029)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	USA (Alaska)	Phoca hispida (81830)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)	0.129 - 0.0117	USA (Alaska)	Phoca vitulina (20643)
Late/Upper Pleistocene	0.129 - 0.0117	Canada (Northwest Territories)	Phoca hispida (73726 81832)
Late/Upper Pleistocene - Holocene	0.129 - 0.0	Spain	Phoca indet. (215723)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Canada (Yukon)	Phoca vitulina (228443)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Russian Federation	Phoca caspica (183408) Phoca vitulina (168674)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Greenland (Qeqertasussuk)	Phoca hispida (187755)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Finland	Phoca hispida (90109)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Canada (Northwest Territories)	Phoca hispida (228444 228492 228921 228924 228925 228926) Phoca sp. (175957)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Canada (Newfoundland and Labrador)	Phoca sp., Phoca vitulina (175980 175981 175982 175983)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Canada (Manitoba)	Phoca hispida (229538)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Canada (Quebec)	Phoca hispida (228766) Phoca sp. (221970)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Svalbard and Jan Mayen	Phoca vitulina (168673)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	USA (Maine)	Phoca vitulina (122450 176524)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Greenland	Phoca hispida (162545 227869 227870 227874 227875 229938 229940 229942 229943 230435) Phoca sp. (175984 175985 175986 175988 175989 175990 175991 175992 175993 229941) Phoca sp., Phoca hispida (227877 229885 229939) Phoca vitulina (175995) Phoca vitulina, Phoca hispida (230120)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Canada (Ontario)	Phoca sp. (221863)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	USA (Oregon)	Phoca vitulina (162159)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Netherlands	Phoca vitulina (55533)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Canada (Newfoundland)	Phoca groenlandicus, Phoca hispida (228844)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	USA (Alaska)	Phoca hispidia, Phoca vitrulina (161613) Phoca largha (70586) Phoca sp. (175953 175954 175955 175956) Phoca vitulina (90098 175943 175944 175945 175946 175947 175948 175950 175951 175952)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	USA (Massachusetts)	Phoca vitulina (176525)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Canada (Nunavut)	Phoca hispida (73705 160848 228898 228919 228920 228927 228928 229489) Phoca sp. (73698 175965 175966 175973 175977 175978 228896) Phoca sp., Phoca hispida (229256)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Phoca vitulina (191169)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	United Kingdom	Phoca vitulina (122112)