Butterfly ray vs Margay

Gymnura altavela compared with Leopardus wiedii

Key Differences

• Butterfly ray is Endangered while Margay is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Butterfly ray	Margay
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Gymnuridae	Felidae (Cats)
Genus	Gymnura	Leopardus
Species	Gymnura altavela	Leopardus wiedii

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Butterfly ray

EN — Endangered

Margay

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Butterfly ray	Margay
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.

Margay

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. 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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇻🇪 Venezuela