Hooded seal vs smooth hound

Cystophora cristata compared with Mustelus mustelus

Key Differences

• Hooded seal is Endangered while smooth hound is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Hooded seal	smooth hound
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)
Order	Pinnipedia (Seals & Sea Lions)	Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)
Family	Phocidae (True Seals)	Triakidae
Genus	Cystophora	Mustelus
Species	Cystophora cristata	Mustelus mustelus

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Hooded seal

EN — Endangered

smooth hound

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Hooded seal	smooth hound
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.

smooth hound

Habitat

Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway