Broadmouth cat shark vs Cochran Frog

Apristurus macrostomus compared with Nymphargus cochranae

Key Differences

• Broadmouth cat shark is Least Concern while Cochran Frog is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Broadmouth cat shark	Cochran Frog
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)	Amphibia (Amphibians)
Order	Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)	Anura (Frogs & Toads)
Family	Scyliorhinidae	Centrolenidae
Genus	Apristurus	Nymphargus
Species	Apristurus macrostomus	Nymphargus cochranae

Evolutionary Relationship

Broadmouth cat shark and Cochran Frog share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Broadmouth cat shark

LC — Least Concern

Cochran Frog

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Broadmouth cat shark	Cochran Frog
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Broadmouth cat shark

Habitat

Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

Range

Found in Taiwan.

Cochran Frog

Habitat

Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Range

Found in Colombia. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Broadmouth cat shark

The Broadmouth Cat Shark (Apristurus macrostomus) is a species in the genus Apristurus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

Cochran Frog

The Cochran frog (Nymphargus cochranae) is a small glass frog in the family Centrolenidae, native to the cloud forests of the western and central Andes in Colombia. Like other centrolenid frogs, it is characterised by semi-transparent or translucent ventral skin through which internal organs — including the heart, liver, and digestive tract — are visible, a feature that gives the family its common name. The species inhabits humid montane rainforest along streams at elevations typically between 1,500 and 2,800 metres, where males call from vegetation overhanging fast-flowing streams to attract females. Eggs are deposited in gelatinous masses on leaves or rocks above the water; upon hatching, tadpoles drop into the stream below and develop in the current-swept environment. Nymphargus cochranae is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN, primarily due to ongoing deforestation and degradation of cloud forest habitats driven by agricultural expansion, cattle ranching, and coca cultivation across its Colombian Andean range. Glass frogs are additionally sensitive to stream water quality, making them useful bioindicators of watershed health. The species was named in honour of the eminent American herpetologist Doris Mable Cochran of the Smithsonian Institution, who made foundational contributions to Central and South American amphibian taxonomy in the mid-twentieth century. Continued habitat protection and reforestation efforts are critical for its long-term survival.