Monachidae

Monachidae is a taxonomic family of seals. This family is comprised of three extant genera, each containing a single species: Monachus, Neophoca, and Mirounga. These seals are commonly known as monk seals. The family is characterized by its members' adaptations to tropical and subtropical marine environments. They are one of the two families of true seals, also known as phocids. Phocids are distinguished from eared seals (otariids) by the absence of external ear flaps and their inability to rotate their hind flippers forward.

The Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus, inhabits the Mediterranean Sea and the northeastern Atlantic coast. The Hawaiian monk seal, Neomonachus schauinslandi, is found in the Hawaiian Islands. The two species of elephant seals, Mirounga leonina (Southern elephant seal) and Mirounga angustirostris (Northern elephant seal), are also part of this family, despite their significantly larger size and different geographic distributions. Elephant seals are notable for the sexual dimorphism present, with males being considerably larger than females. All monk seals are considered vulnerable or endangered, facing threats from habitat loss, pollution, and historical hunting.