Hooded seal vs Scarlet Elfcup

Cystophora cristata compared with Sarcoscypha austriaca

Key Differences

• Hooded seal is Endangered while Scarlet Elfcup is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Hooded seal	Scarlet Elfcup
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Pezizomycetes (Pezizomycetes)
Order	Pinnipedia (Seals & Sea Lions)	Pezizales (Pezizales)
Family	Phocidae (True Seals)	Sarcoscyphaceae
Genus	Cystophora	Sarcoscypha
Species	Cystophora cristata	Sarcoscypha austriaca

Conservation Status

Hooded seal

EN — Endangered

Scarlet Elfcup

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Hooded seal	Scarlet Elfcup
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.

Scarlet Elfcup

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and 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 2 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway