Anchovy-Eater vs Streamside Swordfern

Carcharodon carcharias compared with Nephrolepis rivularis

Key Differences

Anchovy-Eater is Vulnerable while Streamside Swordfern is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Anchovy-Eater	Streamside Swordfern
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Tracheophyta
Class	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)	Polypodiopsida (Polypodiopsida)
Order	Lamniformes (Mackerel Sharks)	Polypodiales (Polypodiales)
Family	Lamnidae (Mackerel Sharks)	Nephrolepidaceae
Genus	Carcharodon (Great White Sharks)	Nephrolepis
Species	Carcharodon carcharias	Nephrolepis rivularis

Conservation Status

Anchovy-Eater

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Streamside Swordfern

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Anchovy-Eater	Streamside Swordfern
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	70 years	—
Average Length	5.0 m	—
Average Weight	1.1 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Anchovy-Eater

Habitat

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

Range

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

Streamside Swordfern

Habitat

Typically found in moist, shaded forest floors and tropical canopies.

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Colombia, and Cuba.

Anchovy-Eater

The largest predatory fish on Earth, great white sharks can reach 6 meters and 2,000 kg, inhabiting cool coastal and offshore waters in all major oceans. Apex predators employing ambush attacks from below, primarily on marine mammals, large fish, and seabirds. Despite their fearsome reputation, unprovoked attacks on humans are extremely rare. Vulnerable, with populations declining from finning, bycatch, and targeted fishing despite legal protections in many jurisdictions.