*** Family Otariidae J. E. Gray, 1825 - eared seals
*** Family Odobenidae J. A. Allen, 1880 - walruses
*** Family Phocidae J. E. Gray, 1821 - earless seals

Since then, however, the methods available to mammalogists to assess the phylogenetic relationships among the carnivoran families have improved, incorporating genetics, morphology and the fossil record. Research into Carnivora