Blackfin pygmy skate vs common bottlenose dolphin

Fenestraja atripinna compared with Tursiops truncatus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blackfin pygmy skate	common bottlenose dolphin
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	Fenestraja	Tursiops (Bottlenose Dolphins)
Species	Fenestraja atripinna	Tursiops truncatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Blackfin pygmy skate and common bottlenose dolphin share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

View Phylum: Chordata

Conservation Status

Blackfin pygmy skate

LC — Least Concern

common bottlenose dolphin

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~600.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blackfin pygmy skate	common bottlenose dolphin
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	45 years
Average Length	—	3.0 m
Average Weight	—	300.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blackfin pygmy skate

common bottlenose dolphin

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (6 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela).

Blackfin pygmy skate

The Blackfin pygmy skate (Fenestraja atripinna) is a species in the genus Fenestraja. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

common bottlenose dolphin

The most studied and recognized dolphin species, bottlenose dolphins inhabit warm and temperate oceans worldwide, from coastal shallows to the open sea. Highly intelligent with large brains relative to body size, they demonstrate self-recognition, complex communication, and social learning. They live in fluid fission-fusion societies and cooperate to herd fish. A keystone indicator species for marine ecosystem health.