Hooded seal vs Lesser Smoothcap

Cystophora cristata compared with Atrichum angustatum

Key Differences

• Hooded seal is Endangered while Lesser Smoothcap is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Hooded seal	Lesser Smoothcap
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Bryophyta
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Polytrichopsida (Polytrichopsida)
Order	Pinnipedia (Seals & Sea Lions)	Polytrichales (Polytrichales)
Family	Phocidae (True Seals)	Polytrichaceae
Genus	Cystophora	Atrichum
Species	Cystophora cristata	Atrichum angustatum

Conservation Status

Hooded seal

EN — Endangered

Lesser Smoothcap

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Hooded seal	Lesser Smoothcap
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Hooded seal

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

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

Lesser Smoothcap

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal