Big Finner vs Ghost shark

Balaenoptera physalus compared with Hydrolagus pallidus

Key Differences

• Big Finner is Endangered while Ghost shark is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Big Finner	Ghost shark
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Holocephali (Holocephali)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Chimaeriformes (Chimaeriformes)
Family	Balaenopteridae (Rorquals)	Chimaeridae
Genus	Balaenoptera (Rorquals)	Hydrolagus
Species	Balaenoptera physalus	Hydrolagus pallidus

Evolutionary Relationship

Big Finner and Ghost shark share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Big Finner

EN — Endangered

Ghost shark

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Big Finner	Ghost shark
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Big Finner

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, flooded grasslands and savannas, and montane grasslands and shrublands, among 4 distinct biome types within the Neotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Ghost shark

Habitat

Native to Europe and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Chile and Portugal.

Big Finner

Big Finner (Balaenoptera physalus) 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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇵🇹 Portugal