Buckelwal vs coastal plain yellowtops

Megaptera novaeangliae compared with Flaveria bidentis

Key Differences

Buckelwal is Vulnerable while coastal plain yellowtops is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Buckelwal	coastal plain yellowtops
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Balaenopteridae (Rorquals)	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Megaptera (Humpback Whales)	Flaveria
Species	Megaptera novaeangliae	Flaveria bidentis

Conservation Status

Buckelwal

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~80.0K

Trend: Increasing ↑

coastal plain yellowtops

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Buckelwal	coastal plain yellowtops
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	50 years	—
Average Length	15.0 m	—
Average Weight	30.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Buckelwal

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

coastal plain yellowtops

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (6 countries), Asia (4 countries), Europe (8 countries), and South America (Brazil).

Buckelwal

Among the most acrobatic of the great whales, humpback whales are renowned for their complex, haunting songs sung by males during breeding season — some lasting hours and evolving over time. Reaching 16 meters and 30 tonnes, they undertake the longest migrations of any mammal. Found in all oceans, humpbacks feed on krill and small fish using cooperative bubble-net feeding. Populations have largely recovered from historic whaling.

coastal plain yellowtops

Coastal plain yellowtops (Flaveria bidentis) is an annual herb in the family Asteraceae, native to South America, particularly Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile, but widely naturalised across subtropical and warm temperate regions worldwide, including parts of Africa, Europe, and Asia. It grows in disturbed coastal plains, roadsides, agricultural margins, and sandy soils near the coast. The plant bears clusters of small yellow flowerheads in dense corymbs, blooming from summer to autumn. Flaveria bidentis is scientifically notable as one of the few species in the genus confirmed to use C4 photosynthesis, a more efficient carbon fixation pathway typically associated with hot, arid environments. This physiological trait contributes to its competitiveness as a ruderal weed. Plants grow erect to around 1 metre, with serrate opposite leaves. It is considered a weed in some agricultural systems but poses no major conservation concerns. Its IUCN status is Not Evaluated, consistent with its ruderal, widespread, and self-sustaining nature. Research on the genus Flaveria has contributed significantly to understanding the evolution of C4 photosynthesis.