Black ghost shark vs Fahad Sayad (الفهد الصياد)

Hydrolagus homonycteris compared with Acinonyx jubatus

Key Differences

• Black ghost shark is Least Concern while Fahad Sayad (الفهد الصياد) is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black ghost shark	Fahad Sayad (الفهد الصياد)
Kingdom same	Animalia (حيوانات)	Animalia (حيوانات)
Phylum same	Chordata (حبليات)	Chordata (حبليات)
Class	Holocephali (كاملات الرؤوس)	Mammalia (ثدييات)
Order	Chimaeriformes (خرافيات)	Carnivora (لواحم)
Family	Chimaeridae	Felidae (Cats)
Genus	Hydrolagus	Acinonyx (Cheetahs)
Species	Hydrolagus homonycteris	Acinonyx jubatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Black ghost shark and Fahad Sayad (الفهد الصياد) share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (حبليات)

Conservation Status

Black ghost shark

LC — Least Concern

Fahad Sayad (الفهد الصياد)

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~6.7K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black ghost shark	Fahad Sayad (الفهد الصياد)
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	12 years
Average Length	—	1.5 m
Average Weight	—	50.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black ghost shark

Fahad Sayad (الفهد الصياد)

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Botswana, Iran, Kenya, Namibia, and Tanzania. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Black ghost shark

The Black ghost shark (Hydrolagus homonycteris) is a species in the genus Hydrolagus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Fahad Sayad (الفهد الصياد)

The fastest land animal on Earth, reaching speeds of 112 km/h over short distances across African and Iranian grasslands. Slender build with a deep chest, long legs, and distinctive black tear-stripe markings. Unlike other big cats, cheetahs vocalize with chirps and purrs. Vulnerable, with only ~7,000 remaining due to habitat fragmentation and competition with larger predators.