Hooded seal vs Ray

Cystophora cristata compared with Atlantoraja castelnaui

Key Differences

• Hooded seal is Endangered while Ray is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Hooded seal	Ray
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Elasmobranchii
Order	Pinnipedia (Seals & Sea Lions)	Rajiformes (Rajiformes)
Family	Phocidae (True Seals)	Arhynchobatidae
Genus	Cystophora	Atlantoraja
Species	Cystophora cristata	Atlantoraja castelnaui

Evolutionary Relationship

Hooded seal and Ray share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Hooded seal

EN — Endangered

Ray

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Hooded seal	Ray
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.

Ray