Scientists have discovered a new genus of monk seal, according to a new study—the first in the modern seal family in more than 140 years.

There are three known species of monk seal, all of which were thought to belong to the genus Monachus: the Hawaiian, Mediterranean, and Caribbean. The latter went extinct in the 1950s due to hunting and other causes related to humans. (Related: "Crittercams and Crowdsourcing to Solve Mystery of Hawaiian Monk Seals?")