blue whale vs common razor clam

Balaenoptera musculus compared with Ensis ensis

Key Differences

• blue whale is Vulnerable while common razor clam is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	blue whale	common razor clam
Kingdom same	Animalia (hewan)	Animalia (hewan)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Mollusca (Moluska)
Class	Mammalia (mamalia)	Bivalvia (Bivalvia)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Adapedonta (Adapedonta)
Family	Balaenopteridae (Rorquals)	Pharidae
Genus	Balaenoptera (Rorquals)	Ensis
Species	Balaenoptera musculus	Ensis ensis

Evolutionary Relationship

blue whale and common razor clam share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (hewan)

Conservation Status

blue whale

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~15.0K

Trend: Increasing ↑

common razor clam

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	blue whale	common razor clam
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	90 years	—
Average Length	30.0 m	—
Average Weight	150.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

blue whale

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). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

common razor clam

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

blue whale

The largest animal ever known to have lived on Earth, blue whales can reach 33 meters and 200 tonnes — their hearts alone weigh as much as a small car. Found in all oceans, they migrate between polar feeding grounds and tropical breeding areas. Filter feeders consuming up to 4 tonnes of krill daily. Endangered, with global populations estimated at 10,000–25,000 after near-extinction from 20th-century whaling.

common razor clam

<em>Ensis ensis</em>, the common razor clam, is a bivalve mollusk in the family Pharidae, order Adapedonta. It is distributed along the northeastern Atlantic coastline, with documented populations in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, suggesting stable populations across much of its range. Common razor clams typically inhabit sandy intertidal and shallow subtidal zones, burrowing rapidly into sediment using their muscular foot to evade predators and avoid desiccation. Their elongated shell, resembling an old-fashioned straight razor, is a distinctive morphological feature of the genus Ensis. <em>Ensis ensis</em> is a suspension feeder, typically drawing in water and filtering phytoplankton and organic particles through its siphons. This feeding strategy makes it an important component of coastal benthic communities. Razor clams play an ecological role as both filter feeders improving water clarity and as prey items for shorebirds, flatfish, and marine mammals. Biological traits such as precise lifespan, body measurements, and diet composition vary across populations and remain incompletely characterized. The species is commercially harvested in parts of its range and is considered a minor fishery resource in Scandinavian waters.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden