Butterfly ray vs New Zealand fur seal

Gymnura altavela compared with Arctocephalus forsteri

Key Differences

• Butterfly ray is Endangered while New Zealand fur seal is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Butterfly ray	New Zealand fur seal
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Gymnuridae	Otariidae
Genus	Gymnura	Arctocephalus
Species	Gymnura altavela	Arctocephalus forsteri

Evolutionary Relationship

Butterfly ray and New Zealand fur seal share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Butterfly ray

EN — Endangered

New Zealand fur seal

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Butterfly ray	New Zealand fur seal
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.

New Zealand fur seal

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.