Bentfin devil ray vs Hector’s Beaked Whale

Mobula thurstoni compared with Mesoplodon hectori

Key Differences

• Bentfin devil ray is Endangered while Hector’s Beaked Whale is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bentfin devil ray	Hector’s Beaked Whale
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)
Family	Myliobatidae	Hyperoodontidae
Genus	Mobula	Mesoplodon
Species	Mobula thurstoni	Mesoplodon hectori

Evolutionary Relationship

Bentfin devil ray and Hector’s Beaked Whale share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Bentfin devil ray

EN — Endangered

Hector’s Beaked Whale

DD — Data Deficient

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bentfin devil ray	Hector’s Beaked Whale
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bentfin devil ray

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

Hector’s Beaked Whale

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Bentfin devil ray

The Bentfin devil ray (Mobula thurstoni) is a species in the genus Mobula. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. 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.