Giant oceanic manta ray vs Whale shark
They share the class Elasmobranchii but sit in different orders: Giant oceanic manta ray in Myliobatiformes, Whale shark in Orectolobiformes.
Photo: jon hanson from london, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Photo: User:Zac Wolf (original), en:User:Stefan (cropping) · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
What is the difference between a giant oceanic manta ray and a whale shark?
Each point below is worked out from a pair of recorded values.
- They share the class Elasmobranchii but sit in different orders: Giant oceanic manta ray in Myliobatiformes, Whale shark in Orectolobiformes.
- Both are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
- They have been recorded in 35 of the same countries (the giant oceanic manta ray in 49 in total, the whale shark in 62). Shared records include zoos, so this does not mean they meet in the wild.
Side by side
| Giant oceanic manta ray | Whale shark | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Mobula birostris | Rhincodon typus |
| Family | Myliobatidae | Rhincodontidae |
| Order | Myliobatiformes | Orectolobiformes |
| Weight | Not recorded | 12 t |
| Length | Not recorded | 14 m |
| Lifespan | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Endangered | Endangered |
| Countries recorded | 49 | 62 |
Full record: Giant oceanic manta rayFull record: Whale sharkCompare other animals