Butterfly ray vs Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin

Gymnura altavela compared with Tursiops aduncus

Key Differences

• Butterfly ray is Endangered while Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Butterfly ray	Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)
Family	Gymnuridae	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)
Genus	Gymnura	Tursiops (Bottlenose Dolphins)
Species	Gymnura altavela	Tursiops aduncus

Evolutionary Relationship

Butterfly ray and Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Butterfly ray

EN — Endangered

Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Butterfly ray	Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin
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.

Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Taiwan. 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.