Common Seal vs eccentric grass snail

Phoca vitulina compared with Vallonia excentrica

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Seal	eccentric grass snail
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Mollusca (Mollusks)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Gastropoda (Gastropoda)
Order	Pinnipedia (Seals & Sea Lions)	Stylommatophora (Stylommatophora)
Family	Phocidae (True Seals)	Valloniidae
Genus	Phoca (Harbor Seals)	Vallonia
Species	Phoca vitulina	Vallonia excentrica

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Seal and eccentric grass snail share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Common Seal

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~500.0K

Trend: Stable →

eccentric grass snail

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Seal	eccentric grass snail
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	30 years	—
Average Length	1.7 m	—
Average Weight	80.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Seal

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Found across Europe (7 countries) and North America (United States). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

eccentric grass snail

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, tundra, and tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, among 5 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Oceanian and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Israel), Europe (9 countries), North America (Mexico, United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Common Seal

The most widely distributed pinniped, harbor seals inhabit temperate and subarctic coastal waters of both the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Adults reach up to 130 kg and spend roughly equal time at sea hunting fish, squid, and crustaceans and hauling out on beaches or rocks to rest. Their large, expressive eyes are adapted for underwater vision in low light. Harbor seals are a critical food source for orcas, sharks, and polar bears.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 6 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States