Cowhead eagle ray vs Epaulard

Myliobatis tobijei compared with Orcinus orca

Key Differences

• Cowhead eagle ray is Vulnerable while Epaulard is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cowhead eagle ray	Epaulard
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)
Family	Myliobatidae	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)
Genus	Myliobatis	Orcinus (Orcas)
Species	Myliobatis tobijei	Orcinus orca

Evolutionary Relationship

Cowhead eagle ray and Epaulard share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Cowhead eagle ray

VU — Vulnerable

Epaulard

DD — Data Deficient

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Unknown ?

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cowhead eagle ray	Epaulard
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	8.0 m
Average Weight	—	5.4 t

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cowhead eagle ray

Habitat

Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

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

Epaulard

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela).

Epaulard

The largest member of the dolphin family, orcas reach up to 9 meters and 6 tonnes and are found in every ocean from Arctic to Antarctic. Apex predators living in matrilineal pods with distinct dialects, hunting strategies, and cultural traditions that differ between populations. Some populations specialize in fish, others in marine mammals. No natural predators; orcas sit at the top of every marine food chain they inhabit.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇹🇼 Taiwan