Monachus monachus

(Hermann, 1779)

Mediterranean Monk Seal

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Laurasiatheria
Order : Carnivora
Suborder : Caniformia
Infraorder : Arctoidea
Superfamily : Phocoidea
Family : Phocidae
Genus : Monachus

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Beschaft. Berlin Ges. Naturforsch. Fr., 4, 501, pls. 12, 13

Original name as described

Phoca monachus

Other common names

Monk Seal

Type material

lost (number not known)

Type kind

holotype

Type locality

"Dalmatian Sea at Ossero." Restricted by J. E. King in 1956 to Serbia and Montenegro.

Biogeographic realm

Marine

Country distribution

Croatia · Cyprus · Greece · Mauritania · Portugal · Madeira · Turkey · Albania? · Egypt? · France? · Israel? · Italy? · Lebanon? · Libya · Spain? · Syria · Tunisia? · Algeria? · Morocco · Cape Verde? · Gambia?

IUCN Red List status

Vulnerable

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1005920

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Known distribution is shown in green and predicted distribution is in yellow. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Heliophoca Atlantica

(J. E. Gray, 1854)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

atlanticus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1853.10.6.4 (= BMNH:Mamm:1063a)

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/32146b3e-3a5c-4dbb-b29b-ace2f2fe5cde https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/c2cda2d2-f730-4f86-90d3-95fd46d67bf5

Authority page

202

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/22193534

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Phoca monachus

(Hermann, 1779)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

monachus

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

lost (number not known)

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

501, pls. 12, 13

Authority publication

Beschaftigungen der Berliner Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde

Name usages

  1. Illiger (1815:103, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080959) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)
  2. Crespon (1844:57, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/52795665) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38970)

Phoca Hermannii

(Lesson, 1828)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

hermannii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

lost (number not known)

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

416

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/24378049

Authority publication

Dictionnaire Classique d'Histoire Naturelle

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Monachus mediterraneus

Nilsson, 1838

Family

Phocidae

Root name

mediterraneus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

lost (number not known)

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

235

Authority publication

Kunglika Svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Pelagius monachus

(Lesson, 1827)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

monachus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

200

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207668

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1827:200, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207668) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  2. Nilsson (1841:309, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9707192) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/65304)
  3. Lesson (1842:83) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Phoca monacha

(Loche, 1858)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

monacha

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

unjustified_emendation

Authority page

11

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41949441

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Loche (1858:11, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41949441) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60564)

Monachus monachus

Corbet & J. Edwards Hill, 1980

Family

Phocidae

Root name

monachus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

108

Authority publication

London

Name usages

  1. Corbet & Hill (1980:108) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  2. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:287) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  3. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  4. Kingdon & Hoffman (2013:134) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/27643)
  5. Mittermeier & Wilson (2014:169) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67175)
  6. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #13653) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  7. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #13653) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  8. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1005920) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  9. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/13653/238637039) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Phoca albiventer

(P. Boddaert, 1785)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

albiventer

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

170

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28230134

Authority publication

Rotterdam

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Phoca bicolor

(G. K. Shaw, 1800)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

bicolor

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

254

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/19632277

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Phoca pusilla

(G. Fischer, 1814)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

pusillus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Authority page

xxi, 628

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130082 https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130715

Authority publication

Moscow

Name usages

Fischer (1814:xxi, 628, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130082, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130715) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12226)

Phoca leucogaster

(Péron & Lesueur, 1816)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

leucogaster

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

47 (footnote)

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Phoca monacus

(A. G. Desmarest, 1817)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

monacus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

560

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18044330

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Desmarest (1817:560, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18044330) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60328)

Phoca isidorei

(Lesson, 1843)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

isidorei

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

228

Authority publication

Echo du Monde Savant

Name usages

  1. Wozencraft (2005:595) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  2. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

Phoca crinita

(Menis, 1848)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

crinitus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

153

Authority publication

book

Name usages

Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)

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