Schwertwal vs Redshouldered ham beetle

Orcinus orca compared with Necrobia ruficollis

Key Differences

• Schwertwal is Data Deficient while Redshouldered ham beetle is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Schwertwal	Redshouldered ham beetle
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Arthropoda (Gliederfüßer)
Class	Mammalia (Säugetiere)	Insecta (Insekten)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Coleoptera (Käfer)
Family	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)	Cleridae
Genus	Orcinus (Orcas)	Necrobia
Species	Orcinus orca	Necrobia ruficollis

Evolutionary Relationship

Schwertwal and Redshouldered ham beetle share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Tier)

Conservation Status

Schwertwal

DD — Data Deficient

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Unknown ?

Redshouldered ham beetle

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Schwertwal	Redshouldered ham beetle
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	50 years	—
Average Length	8.0 m	—
Average Weight	5.4 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Schwertwal

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).

Redshouldered ham beetle

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, temperate coniferous forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 8 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Oceanian and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (China, Japan, Taiwan), Europe (12 countries), and North America (Canada, United States). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Schwertwal

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 5 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇹🇼 Taiwan