Bigthorn skate vs Epaulard

Rajella barnardi compared with Orcinus orca

Key Differences

• Bigthorn skate is Least Concern while Epaulard is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bigthorn skate	Epaulard
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Rajiformes (Rajiformes)	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)
Family	Rajidae	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)
Genus	Rajella	Orcinus (Orcas)
Species	Rajella barnardi	Orcinus orca

Evolutionary Relationship

Bigthorn skate and Epaulard share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Bigthorn skate

LC — Least Concern

Epaulard

DD — Data Deficient

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Unknown ?

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bigthorn skate	Epaulard
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	8.0 m
Average Weight	—	5.4 t

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bigthorn skate

Epaulard

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 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela).

Bigthorn skate

The Bigthorn skate (Rajella barnardi) is a species in the genus Rajella. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Epaulard

The largest member of the dolphin family, orcas reach up to 9 meters and 6 tonnes and are found in every ocean from Arctic to Antarctic. Apex predators living in matrilineal pods with distinct dialects, hunting strategies, and cultural traditions that differ between populations. Some populations specialize in fish, others in marine mammals. No natural predators; orcas sit at the top of every marine food chain they inhabit.