Common Seal vs

Phoca vitulina compared with Phaeographis dendritica

Key Differences

Common Seal is Near Threatened while is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Seal
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)
Order	Pinnipedia (Seals & Sea Lions)	Ostropales (Ostropales)
Family	Phocidae (True Seals)	Graphidaceae
Genus	Phoca (Harbor Seals)	Phaeographis
Species	Phoca vitulina	Phaeographis dendritica

Conservation Status

Common Seal

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~500.0K

Trend: Stable →

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Seal
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.

Habitat

Native to Europe and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, Norway, and Portugal. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

Phaeographis dendritica is a corticolous crustose lichen forming pale to whitish patches on smooth bark with distinctive branched, dendritic lirellate apothecia. It inhabits humid, shaded temperate woodland, particularly old-growth forests in oceanic regions. Classified as Vulnerable, this species is threatened by habitat loss and the decline of ancient, undisturbed woodland ecosystems.