Bali Shortcake vs Basking shark

Acropora latistella compared with Rhincodon typus

Key Differences

• Bali Shortcake is Least Concern while Basking shark is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bali Shortcake	Basking shark
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Cnidaria (Cnidarians)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Anthozoa	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)
Order	Scleractinia (Scleractinia)	Lamniformes (Mackerel Sharks)
Family	Acroporidae	Rhincodontidae (Whale Sharks)
Genus	Acropora	Rhincodon (Whale Sharks)
Species	Acropora latistella	Rhincodon typus

Evolutionary Relationship

Bali Shortcake and Basking shark share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Bali Shortcake

LC — Least Concern

Basking shark

EN — Endangered

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bali Shortcake	Basking shark
Diet	—	Omnivore
Average Lifespan	—	100 years
Average Length	—	12.0 m
Average Weight	—	20.0 t

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bali Shortcake

Habitat

Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Taiwan.

Basking shark

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate grasslands and steppes, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 5 distinct biome types within the Neotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

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

Bali Shortcake

The Bali Shortcake (Acropora latistella) is a species in the genus Acropora. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Basking shark

The world's largest fish, whale sharks can exceed 12 meters and 20 tonnes, inhabiting tropical and warm temperate oceans worldwide. Despite their massive size, they are harmless filter feeders, consuming plankton, fish eggs, and small fish by swimming open-mouthed through prey-dense water. They undertake vast seasonal migrations following plankton blooms. Endangered due to fishing, boat strikes, and the live fin trade, with population declining by approximately 50% over the past 75 years.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇹🇼 Taiwan