monk seals are earless seals of the tribe monachini. they are the only earless seals found in tropical climates. the two genera of monk seals, "monachus" and "neomonachus", comprise three species: the mediterranean monk seal, "monachus monachus"; the hawaiian monk seal, "neomonachus schauinslandi"; and the caribbean monk seal, "neomonachus tropicalis", which became extinct in the 20th century. the two surviving species are now rare and in imminent danger of extinction. all three monk seal species were classified in genus "monachus" until 2014, when the caribbean and hawaiian species were placed into a new genus, "neomonachus".