Gryphoca

Gryphoca is a genus of earless seals (family Phocidae) that is considered obsolete. It was formerly used to classify certain seals now placed in other genera, specifically within the tribe Lobodontini, which comprises the Antarctic seals. The term's etymology derives from the Greek "gryphos" (γρυπός), meaning "hook-nosed" or "aquiline-nosed," and "phoca" (φώκη), meaning "seal." The genus was erected based on perceived morphological similarities in the nasal structure of the seals it was meant to encompass.

However, with advancements in phylogenetic analysis using molecular data and more detailed morphological studies, the original justifications for the Gryphoca genus have been overturned. The seals once classified within Gryphoca are now recognized as belonging to different, more accurately defined genera based on evolutionary relationships. The characteristics initially attributed to Gryphoca are now understood to be convergent adaptations to similar environments or lifestyle pressures rather than indicators of close common ancestry. Consequently, the use of Gryphoca as a valid taxonomic classification is now considered outdated and inaccurate within the scientific community. Modern classifications place these seals into genera such as Lobodon, Hydrurga, and Leptonychotes.