Pagophilus groenlandicus

(Erxleben, 1777)

Harp Seal

Taxonomy

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

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Erxleben, J.C.P. 1777. Systema regni animalis per classes, ordines, genera, species, varietates cum synonymia et historia animalium. Classis I. Mammalia. Impensis Weygandianis, Leipzig, 636 pp.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15873385

Original name as described

Phoca groenlandica

Other common names

Greenland Seal · Saddleback Seal

Type material

lost (number not known)

Type kind

nonexistent

Type locality

"in Groenlandia [= Greenland] et Newfoundland."

Biogeographic realm

Marine

Country distribution

Canada · Greenland · Iceland · Norway · Russia · Denmark · Finland · France · Germany · Spain · United Kingdom · United States

Subregion distribution

USA(ME,NH?,MA?,RI?,CT?,NJ?,NY?,DE?,MD?,DC?,VA?,NC?)

Distribution notes

While unusual in the past, large numbers of animals, especially juveniles, found in Gulf of Maine since 1990s. Vagrant sightings and strandings as far south as North Carolina.

Distribution references

Soulen BK, Cammen K, Schultz TF, Johnston DW (2013) Factors Affecting Harp Seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) Strandings in the Northwest Atlantic. PLOS ONE 8(7): e68779. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0068779. Harris, D. E., Lelli, B. and Jakush, G. 2002. Harp seal records from the southern Gulf of Maine: 1997-2001. Northeastern Naturalist 9: 331-340.

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1005924

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. 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.

Phoca albini

(Alessandrini, 1851)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

albini

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

Bologna (number not known)

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

158

Authority publication

Memorie della Reale Accademie delle Scienze dell'Istituto di Bologna

Name usages

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

Phoca groenlandica

(Erxleben, 1777)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

groenlandicus

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

lost (number not known)

Type kind

nonexistent

Authority page

588

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15873385

Authority publication

Leipzig

Name usages

  1. Erxleben (1777:588, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15873385) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36060)
  2. Daudin (1802:192, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42033442) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/64044)
  3. Fischer (1814:xxi, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29130082) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/12226)
  4. Desmarest (1817:576, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/18044346) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60328)
  5. Billberg (1827:30) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67228)
  6. Nilsson (1841:314, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9707197) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/65304)
  7. True (1885:607, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/7306401) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35039)
  8. Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:288) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
  9. O'Brien, Menninger & Nash (2006:535) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/7321)

Phoca Gronlandica

(Illiger, 1815)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

gronlandica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

64

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080920

Authority publication

Abhandlungen der physikalischen Klasse der Königlich-Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften

Name usages

Illiger (1815:64, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11080920) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38688)

Phoca Grænlandica

(Godman, 1826)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

graenlandica

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

343

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/49165653

Authority publication

Philadelphia

Name usages

Godman (1826:343, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/49165653) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67289)

Calocephalus albicauda

(Lesson, 1827)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

albicauda

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

197

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207665

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1827:197, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207665) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)

Calocephalus leucopla

(Lesson, 1827)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

leucopla

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

199

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207667

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1827:199, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207667) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  2. Lesson (1842:82) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Calocephalus oceanicus

(Lesson, 1827)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

oceanicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

196

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207664

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1827:196, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207664) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)

Pagophilus groenlandicus

Corbet & J. Edwards Hill, 1980

Family

Phocidae

Root name

groenlandicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

107

Authority publication

London

Name usages

  1. Corbet & Hill (1980:107) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
  2. Wozencraft (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8533)
  3. Mittermeier & Wilson (2014:180) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67175)
  4. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #41671) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  5. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #41671) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  6. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1005924) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  7. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41671/45231087) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Callocephalus groenlandicus

(E. Blyth, 1863)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

groenlandicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

78

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534759

Authority publication

Calcutta

Name usages

Blyth (1863:78, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534759) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37155)

Phoca oceanica

(Lepechin, 1778)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

oceanicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

259

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/10124958

Authority publication

Acta Academiae Scientiarum Imperialis Petropolitanae

Name usages

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

Phoca Semilunaris

(P. Boddaert, 1785)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

semilunaris

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 dorsata

(Pallas, 1811)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

dorsatus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

112

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29114045

Authority publication

Saint Petersburg

Name usages

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

phoca albicauda

(A. G. Desmarest, 1822)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

albicauda

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

541

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39521985

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

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

Phoca leucopla

(Thienemann, 1824)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

leucopla

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

102

Authority publication

book

Name usages

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

Phoca lagura

(G. Cuvier, 1825)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

lagurus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

206

Authority publication

Ossemens fossiles

Calocephalus groenlandicus

(F. Cuvier, 1826)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

groenlandicus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

546

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25305779

Authority publication

Strasbourg

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1827:197, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207665) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  2. Lesson (1842:82) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Calocephalus lagurus

(F. Cuvier, 1826)

Family

Phocidae

Root name

lagurus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

546

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25305779

Authority publication

Strasbourg

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1827:198, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207666) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  2. Lesson (1842:82) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

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