Long-necked seal

The long-necked seal is a hypothetical species of earless seals. It was first described in 1681 by Nehemiah Grew, based on a skin of unknown provenance in the museum of the Royal Society. An illustration of this specimen was published by James [Parsons (physician)|James Parsons] in 1751. In 1792, Robert Kerr gave it the scientific name Phoca mutica. In 1800, George [Shaw (biologist)|George Shaw] proposed the alternate scientific name Phoca longicollis. The skin has not been relocated since then, so the existence of the species remains unconfirmed.