Subspecies
There are two recognized subspecies of this seal:
- Halichoerus grypus grypus (North Atlantic), synonymously known as H. g. atlantica
- Halichoerus grypus macrorhynchus (Baltic Sea), synonymously known as H. g. balticus
Molecular studies have indicated that the eastern and western Atlantic populations have been genetically distinct for at least one million years, and could potentially be considered as separate subspecies.
Read more about this topic: Grey Seal