Butterfly ray vs Golden Eagle

Gymnura altavela compared with Aquila chrysaetos

Key Differences

Butterfly ray is Endangered while Golden Eagle is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Butterfly ray	Golden Eagle
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Aves (Birds)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Accipitriformes (Hawks & Eagles)
Family	Gymnuridae	Accipitridae (Hawks & Eagles)
Genus	Gymnura	Aquila (True Eagles)
Species	Gymnura altavela	Aquila chrysaetos

Evolutionary Relationship

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

View Phylum: Chordata

Conservation Status

Butterfly ray

EN — Endangered

Golden Eagle

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Butterfly ray	Golden Eagle
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	30 years
Average Length	—	85 cm
Average Weight	—	5.0 kg

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.

Golden Eagle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (6 countries), and North America (United States). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.

Golden Eagle

Among the most powerful and widely distributed raptors in the world, golden eagles have wingspans reaching 2.2 meters and inhabit mountainous terrain across the Northern Hemisphere. Supreme aerial hunters, they use soaring flight and steep dives at speeds over 200 km/h to capture rabbits, hares, ground squirrels, and occasionally young deer and foxes. In many cultures they have been central to falconry traditions spanning millennia.