Angular rough shark vs European otter

Oxynotus centrina compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

• Angular rough shark is Not Evaluated while European otter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Angular rough shark	European otter
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Squaliformes (Squaliformes)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Oxynotidae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Oxynotus	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Oxynotus centrina	Lutra lutra

Evolutionary Relationship

Angular rough shark and European otter share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Angular rough shark

NE — Not Evaluated

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Angular rough shark	European otter
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	10 years
Average Length	—	1.0 m
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Angular rough shark

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

European otter

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Angular rough shark

The Angular rough shark (Oxynotus centrina) is a species in the genus Oxynotus. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

European otter

Sleek semi-aquatic mustelid found along clean rivers, streams, and coastlines across Europe and Asia. European otters can reach 1.3 meters in length and are highly skilled fish hunters, using sensitive whiskers to detect prey movements. Requiring unpolluted water with abundant fish, they are an indicator species for freshwater ecosystem health. Once nearly extinct in Western Europe from hunting and pollution, populations have recovered significantly following water quality improvements.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden