Epaulard vs Pacific yam

Orcinus orca compared with Dioscorea nummularia

Key Differences

Epaulard is Data Deficient while Pacific yam is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Epaulard	Pacific yam
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Dioscoreales (Dioscoreales)
Family	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)	Dioscoreaceae
Genus	Orcinus (Orcas)	Dioscorea
Species	Orcinus orca	Dioscorea nummularia

Conservation Status

Epaulard

DD — Data Deficient

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Unknown ?

Pacific yam

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Epaulard	Pacific yam
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).

Pacific yam

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests within the Indomalayan biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Laos. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.