Butterfly ray vs Elegant Water Shrew

Gymnura altavela compared with Nectogale elegans

Key Differences

• Butterfly ray is Endangered while Elegant Water Shrew is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Butterfly ray	Elegant Water Shrew
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family	Gymnuridae	Soricidae
Genus	Gymnura	Nectogale
Species	Gymnura altavela	Nectogale elegans

Evolutionary Relationship

Butterfly ray and Elegant Water Shrew share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Butterfly ray

EN — Endangered

Elegant Water Shrew

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Butterfly ray	Elegant Water Shrew
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. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Elegant Water Shrew

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Butterfly ray

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