Butterfly ray vs Gray-headed Flying Fox

Gymnura micrura compared with Pteropus poliocephalus

Key Differences

• Butterfly ray is Near Threatened while Gray-headed Flying Fox is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Butterfly ray	Gray-headed Flying Fox
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Gymnuridae	Pteropodidae (Fruit Bats)
Genus	Gymnura	Pteropus (Flying Foxes)
Species	Gymnura micrura	Pteropus poliocephalus

Evolutionary Relationship

Butterfly ray and Gray-headed Flying Fox share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Butterfly ray

NT — Near Threatened

Gray-headed Flying Fox

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Butterfly ray	Gray-headed Flying Fox
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.

Gray-headed Flying Fox

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

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.