Basking shark vs Caquetá Titi

Rhincodon typus compared with Plecturocebus caquetensis

Key Differences

• Basking shark is Endangered while Caquetá Titi is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Basking shark	Caquetá Titi
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Lamniformes (Mackerel Sharks)	Primates (Primates)
Family	Rhincodontidae (Whale Sharks)	Pitheciidae
Genus	Rhincodon (Whale Sharks)	Plecturocebus
Species	Rhincodon typus	Plecturocebus caquetensis

Evolutionary Relationship

Basking shark and Caquetá Titi share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Basking shark

EN — Endangered

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Caquetá Titi

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Basking shark	Caquetá Titi
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.

Caquetá Titi

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 5 distinct biome types spanning the Neotropic and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Colombia. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

Caquetá Titi

The Caquetá Titi (Plecturocebus caquetensis) is a species in the genus Plecturocebus. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. 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 5 distinct biome types spanning the