Chola guitarfish vs Epaulard

Pseudobatos percellens compared with Orcinus orca

Key Differences

Chola guitarfish is Endangered while Epaulard is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chola guitarfish	Epaulard
Kingdom same	Animalia (สัตว์)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum same	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)
Order	Rhinopristiformes (Rhinopristiformes)	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)
Family	Rhinobatidae	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)
Genus	Pseudobatos	Orcinus (Orcas)
Species	Pseudobatos percellens	Orcinus orca

Evolutionary Relationship

Chola guitarfish and Epaulard share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)

ดู: Phylum: Chordata

Conservation Status

Chola guitarfish

EN — Endangered

Epaulard

DD — Data Deficient

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Unknown ?

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chola guitarfish	Epaulard
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	8.0 m
Average Weight	—	5.4 t

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chola guitarfish

Habitat

Native to South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Venezuela. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Epaulard

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).

Chola guitarfish

The Chola Guitarfish (Pseudobatos percellens), also called the Southern Guitarfish, is a cartilaginous fish in the family Rhinobatidae (guitarfishes), characterised by a body plan intermediate between sharks and rays — with a flattened, ray-like disc at the front merging into a thick, shark-like tail. The species occurs in shallow coastal waters of the tropical western Atlantic from Venezuela south through Brazil, inhabiting sandy and muddy bottoms in estuaries, bays, and nearshore coastal habitats at depths generally less than 100 metres. Guitarfishes are benthic feeders, using their broad, flat rostrum to excavate sediment and uncover crustaceans, molluscs, and small fish. Like all elasmobranchs, they are ovoviviparous or viviparous, producing small litters of live pups. The IUCN classifies the Chola Guitarfish as Endangered, reflecting severe population declines caused by high levels of bycatch in trawl fisheries throughout its coastal range in Venezuela, Trinidad, and Brazil, combined with direct fishing for meat and fins. Guitarfishes globally are among the most threatened groups of marine vertebrates, with shallow coastal habitats intensively fished and offering little refuge from demersal fishing gear. Without significant reductions in fishing pressure and targeted management measures, continued decline is anticipated.

Epaulard

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.