Seals vs Marines: Debunking the Taxonomic Tangle The terms "seal" and "marine mammal" are often used interchangeably, but they belong to distinct biological categories.
The confusion arises from their shared habitat and adaptability to aquatic environments. Both seals and marine mammals belong to the Carnivora order, which includes predators like bears, cats, and weasels.
However, while seals are part of the Phocidae subfamily, they diverged from other pinnipeds (fin footed mammals) about 20 million years ago.