Bahamas ghost shark vs Cheetah

Chimaera bahamaensis compared with Acinonyx jubatus

Key Differences

Bahamas ghost shark is Least Concern while Cheetah is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bahamas ghost shark	Cheetah
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Holocephali (Holocephali)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Chimaeriformes (Chimaeriformes)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Chimaeridae	Felidae (Cats)
Genus	Chimaera	Acinonyx (Cheetahs)
Species	Chimaera bahamaensis	Acinonyx jubatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Bahamas ghost shark and Cheetah share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

View Phylum: Chordata

Conservation Status

Bahamas ghost shark

LC — Least Concern

Cheetah

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~6.7K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bahamas ghost shark	Cheetah
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	12 years
Average Length	—	1.5 m
Average Weight	—	50.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bahamas ghost shark

Cheetah

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.

Bahamas ghost shark

The Bahamas ghost shark (Chimaera bahamaensis) is a species in the genus Chimaera. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Cheetah

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.