Atlantic mako vs blue whale

Isurus oxyrinchus compared with Balaenoptera musculus

Key Differences

• Atlantic mako is Not Evaluated while blue whale is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Atlantic mako	blue whale
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Lamniformes (Mackerel Sharks)	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)
Family	Lamnidae (Mackerel Sharks)	Balaenopteridae (Rorquals)
Genus	Isurus	Balaenoptera (Rorquals)
Species	Isurus oxyrinchus	Balaenoptera musculus

Evolutionary Relationship

Atlantic mako and blue whale share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Atlantic mako

NE — Not Evaluated

blue whale

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~15.0K

Trend: Increasing ↑

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Atlantic mako

Habitat

Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (Denmark, Norway, Portugal), and South America (Chile, Venezuela).

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.

Atlantic mako

The Atlantic mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) is a species in the genus Isurus. Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇹🇼 Taiwan