vs blue whale

Acrocordia gemmata compared with Balaenoptera musculus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		blue whale
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Dothideomycetes (Dothideomycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Monoblastiales (Monoblastiales)	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)
Family	Monoblastiaceae	Balaenopteridae (Rorquals)
Genus	Acrocordia	Balaenoptera (Rorquals)
Species	Acrocordia gemmata	Balaenoptera musculus

Conservation Status

VU — Vulnerable

blue whale

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~15.0K

Trend: Increasing ↑

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		blue whale
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	90 years
Average Length	—	30.0 m
Average Weight	—	150.0 t

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and United States. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

blue whale

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Acrocordia gemmata is a crustose lichen in the family Monoblastiaceae, assessed as Vulnerable (VU). It grows on smooth bark of old trees in ancient woodland habitats, and its presence is considered an indicator of long ecological continuity. Habitat loss through the removal of veteran trees is the primary threat to this species.

blue whale

The largest animal ever known to have lived on Earth, blue whales can reach 33 meters and 200 tonnes — their hearts alone weigh as much as a small car. Found in all oceans, they migrate between polar feeding grounds and tropical breeding areas. Filter feeders consuming up to 4 tonnes of krill daily. Endangered, with global populations estimated at 10,000–25,000 after near-extinction from 20th-century whaling.