Hector’s Beaked Whale vs Irish Major

Mesoplodon hectori compared with Oxycera fallenii

Key Differences

• Hector’s Beaked Whale is Data Deficient while Irish Major is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Hector’s Beaked Whale	Irish Major
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Diptera (Diptera)
Family	Hyperoodontidae	Stratiomyidae
Genus	Mesoplodon	Oxycera
Species	Mesoplodon hectori	Oxycera fallenii

Evolutionary Relationship

Hector’s Beaked Whale and Irish Major share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Hector’s Beaked Whale

DD — Data Deficient

Irish Major

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Hector’s Beaked Whale	Irish Major
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Hector’s Beaked Whale

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Irish Major

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.