Basking shark vs Yellow-billed Pintail

Rhincodon typus compared with Anas georgica

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Basking shark	Yellow-billed Pintail
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Lamniformes (Mackerel Sharks)	Anseriformes (Anseriformes)
Family	Rhincodontidae (Whale Sharks)	Anatidae
Genus	Rhincodon (Whale Sharks)	Anas
Species	Rhincodon typus	Anas georgica

Evolutionary Relationship

Basking shark and Yellow-billed Pintail share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Basking shark

EN — Endangered

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Yellow-billed Pintail

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Basking shark	Yellow-billed Pintail
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.

Yellow-billed Pintail

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries) and South America (Colombia, Ecuador). Currently classified as 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.

Yellow-billed Pintail

Yellow-billed Pintail (Anas georgica) is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List. At high risk of extinction in the wild, with significant population decline and ongoing threats to survival.