Evolutionary relationships of true seals (Phocidae) of the North Atlantic

Harp Seals, typically grouped with harbour seals (genus Phoca), are a distinct genus (Pagophilus) more closely related to hooded seals (Cystophora). Harbour seals, grey seals (Halichoerus), and ribbon seals (Pusa) are all closely related. [Maximum parsimony tree of phocid relationships. Numbers above each branch indicate the inferred number of nucleotide substitutions occurring on that branch. Numbers below branches indicate the percent occurrence of that clade in 1,000 bootstrap replicates (Figure 1 of Carr & Perry 1997).