Basking shark vs Broadnose cat shark

Rhincodon typus compared with Apristurus investigatoris

Key Differences

• Basking shark is Endangered while Broadnose cat shark is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Basking shark	Broadnose cat shark
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)
Order	Lamniformes (Mackerel Sharks)	Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)
Family	Rhincodontidae (Whale Sharks)	Scyliorhinidae
Genus	Rhincodon (Whale Sharks)	Apristurus
Species	Rhincodon typus	Apristurus investigatoris

Evolutionary Relationship

Basking shark and Broadnose cat shark share a common ancestor at the Class level: Chondrichthyes. (Cartilaginous Fish)

Conservation Status

Basking shark

EN — Endangered

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Broadnose cat shark

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Broadnose cat shark

Habitat

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

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.

Broadnose cat shark

The Broadnose Cat Shark (Apristurus investigatoris) is a species in the genus Apristurus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.