Butterfly ray vs Cottontop Tamarin

Gymnura micrura compared with Saguinus oedipus

Key Differences

• Butterfly ray is Near Threatened while Cottontop Tamarin is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Butterfly ray	Cottontop Tamarin
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Primates (Primates)
Family	Gymnuridae	Callitrichidae
Genus	Gymnura	Saguinus
Species	Gymnura micrura	Saguinus oedipus

Evolutionary Relationship

Butterfly ray and Cottontop Tamarin share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Butterfly ray

NT — Near Threatened

Cottontop Tamarin

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Butterfly ray	Cottontop Tamarin
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Butterfly ray

Habitat

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

Range

Found in Venezuela. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Cottontop Tamarin

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 5 distinct biome types spanning the Neotropic and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

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

Butterfly ray

The Butterfly ray (Gymnura micrura) is a species in the genus Gymnura. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Native to South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.