A new seal from the Late Miocene of the Eastern Paratethys highlights the past regional diversity of true seals (Phocidae).

Abstract

True seals rapidly evolved in many forms in the epicontinental basin of Paratethys during the Miocene. However, most of their nominal taxa so far were proposed based on isolated limb bones, and their taxonomy has long been under discussion. Here we describe a new articulated skeleton MCFFM V-150 of a medium-sized seal with pachyosteosclerotic postcranial bones from the Late Miocene of the present-day Moldova and propose a new genus and species for it-Paratethyphoca libera. It is distinguished in the presence of a supraorbital process of the frontal bone in its posterior portion, a long snout, a proportionally long humerus (88% of the skull length), a short deltoid crest of the humerus, and a low supraspinatus fossa of the scapula. We also suggest this taxonomic identification for other Paratethyan seals. Phylogenetic analysis placed Paratethyphoca libera among other stem Phocinae described so far from the Paratethys; however, its close relationship to a living hooded seal Cystophora cristata cannot be ruled out. Additionally, MCFFM V-150 showed tooth wear interpreted as a sign of suction prey capture strategy, shared by another Paratethyan seal Monachopsis pontica and the living bearded seal Erignathus barbatus.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13358-025-00372-7.