Atlantic Bluefin Tuna vs Epaulard

Thunnus thynnus compared with Orcinus orca

Key Differences

• Atlantic Bluefin Tuna is Least Concern while Epaulard is Data Deficient.
• Epaulard is 21.6x heavier than Atlantic Bluefin Tuna.
• Epaulard lives longer (50 years vs 40 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Atlantic Bluefin Tuna	Epaulard
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fish)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Perciformes (Perch-like Fish)	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)
Family	Scombridae (Tunas & Mackerels)	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)
Genus	Thunnus (Tunas)	Orcinus (Orcas)
Species	Thunnus thynnus	Orcinus orca

Evolutionary Relationship

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna and Epaulard share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Increasing ↑

Epaulard

DD — Data Deficient

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Unknown ?

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Atlantic Bluefin Tuna	Epaulard
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	40 years	50 years
Average Length	2.5 m	8.0 m
Average Weight	250.0 kg	5.4 t

Habitat & Geographic Range

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate coniferous forests, montane grasslands and shrublands, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.

Range

Distributed across Italy, Japan, Morocco, Spain, and United States.

Epaulard

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, Venezuela).

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

The Atlantic bluefin tuna is one of the largest, fastest, and most valuable fish in the world. A single fish has sold for over $3 million.

Epaulard

The largest member of the dolphin family, orcas reach up to 9 meters and 6 tonnes and are found in every ocean from Arctic to Antarctic. Apex predators living in matrilineal pods with distinct dialects, hunting strategies, and cultural traditions that differ between populations. Some populations specialize in fish, others in marine mammals. No natural predators; orcas sit at the top of every marine food chain they inhabit.