PHOCINAE, Gray, 1821

Koretsky, I. A., Rahmat, S. J. & Peters, N., 2014, Remarks On Correlations And Implications Of The Mandibular Structure And Diet In Some Seals (Mammalia, Phocidae), Vestnik Zoologii 48 (3), pp. 255-268 : 264

Subfamily PHOCINAE

The members of this subfamily also have well-developed muscles of mastication(similar to the subfamily Cystophorinae ), but without sexual dimorphism and with much smaller overall sizes. They have smaller teeth, a small mandibular ramus, a condyloid process that is superior to the tooth-row (but not as high as in Cystophorinae ) and a condyloid angle that lies between Cystophorinae and Monachinae , suggesting that Phocinae diets consist of mostly medium-sized prey (larger than monachine and smaller than cystophorine prey). Therefore, the subfamily Phocinae is located in an intermediate position among the three extant subfamilies.