blue whale vs

Balaenoptera musculus compared with Desulfurococcus mucosus

Key Differences

• blue whale is Vulnerable while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	blue whale
Kingdom	Animalia (สัตว์)	Archaea (Archaea)
Phylum	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Thermoproteota (Thermoproteota)
Class	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)	Thermoproteia
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Sulfolobales (Sulfolobales)
Family	Balaenopteridae (Rorquals)	Desulfurococcaceae
Genus	Balaenoptera (Rorquals)	Desulfurococcus
Species	Balaenoptera musculus	Desulfurococcus mucosus

Conservation Status

blue whale

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~15.0K

Trend: Increasing ↑

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	blue whale
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.

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.

Desulfurococcus mucosus is a hyperthermophilic archaeon in the family Desulfurococcaceae, thriving in hot, anaerobic environments such as hot springs and hydrothermal vents at temperatures above 80°C. It is an obligate anaerobe that reduces sulfur as an electron acceptor during metabolism. Its cell surface is covered in a characteristic mucous-like S-layer that gives it its species name.