Butterfly ray vs Lowland Tapir

Gymnura micrura compared with Tapirus terrestris

Key Differences

• Butterfly ray is Near Threatened while Lowland Tapir is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Butterfly ray	Lowland Tapir
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Perissodactyla (Odd-toed Ungulates)
Family	Gymnuridae	Tapiridae
Genus	Gymnura	Tapirus
Species	Gymnura micrura	Tapirus terrestris

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Butterfly ray

NT — Near Threatened

Lowland Tapir

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Butterfly ray	Lowland Tapir
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.

Lowland Tapir

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Currently classified as Vulnerable 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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇻🇪 Venezuela