Epaulard vs Hidden Mealy Pixie-Cup Lichen

Orcinus orca compared with Cladonia cryptochlorophaea

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Epaulard	Hidden Mealy Pixie-Cup Lichen
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Lecanorales (Lecanorales)
Family	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)	Cladoniaceae
Genus	Orcinus (Orcas)	Cladonia
Species	Orcinus orca	Cladonia cryptochlorophaea

Conservation Status

Epaulard

DD — Data Deficient

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Unknown ?

Hidden Mealy Pixie-Cup Lichen

DD — Data Deficient

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Epaulard	Hidden Mealy Pixie-Cup Lichen
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	50 years	—
Average Length	8.0 m	—
Average Weight	5.4 t	—

Habitat & Geographic 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).

Hidden Mealy Pixie-Cup Lichen

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

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.