Carpet shark vs Scarlet Macaw

Ginglymostoma cirratum compared with Ara macao

Key Differences

• Carpet shark is Vulnerable while Scarlet Macaw is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Carpet shark	Scarlet Macaw
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Aves (Birds)
Order	Orectolobiformes (Orectolobiformes)	Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family	Ginglymostomatidae	Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus	Ginglymostoma	Ara (Macaws)
Species	Ginglymostoma cirratum	Ara macao

Evolutionary Relationship

Carpet shark and Scarlet Macaw share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Carpet shark

VU — Vulnerable

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Carpet shark	Scarlet Macaw
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	85 cm
Average Weight	—	1.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Carpet shark

Habitat

Native to South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Venezuela. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Scarlet Macaw

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). Population trends indicate a declining trajectory in parts of its range.

Carpet shark

The Carpet Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is a species in the genus Ginglymostoma. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Native to South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Scarlet Macaw

One of the most brilliantly colored birds in the Americas, scarlet macaws display vivid red, yellow, and blue plumage with wingspans reaching 1 meter. Found in humid lowland forests from Mexico to Bolivia, they are highly intelligent, long-lived — up to 75 years — and form lifelong pair bonds. They travel long distances to clay licks where they consume mineral-rich soil to detoxify seeds. Listed as Least Concern but locally threatened by habitat loss and the pet trade.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇻🇪 Venezuela