Hector’s Beaked Whale vs Silver-backed Needletail

Mesoplodon hectori compared with Hirundapus cochinchinensis

Key Differences

• Hector’s Beaked Whale is Data Deficient while Silver-backed Needletail is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Hector’s Beaked Whale	Silver-backed Needletail
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)
Family	Hyperoodontidae	Apodidae
Genus	Mesoplodon	Hirundapus
Species	Mesoplodon hectori	Hirundapus cochinchinensis

Evolutionary Relationship

Hector’s Beaked Whale and Silver-backed Needletail share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Hector’s Beaked Whale

DD — Data Deficient

Silver-backed Needletail

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Hector’s Beaked Whale	Silver-backed Needletail
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Hector’s Beaked Whale

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Silver-backed Needletail

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Found in Norway.