Apple leaf midge vs European otter

Dasineura mali compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

• Apple leaf midge is Not Evaluated while European otter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Apple leaf midge	European otter
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Diptera (Diptera)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Cecidomyiidae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Dasineura	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Dasineura mali	Lutra lutra

Evolutionary Relationship

Apple leaf midge and European otter share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Apple leaf midge

NE — Not Evaluated

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Apple leaf midge	European otter
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	10 years
Average Length	—	1.0 m
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Apple leaf midge

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

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.

Apple leaf midge

The Apple leaf midge (Dasineura mali) is a species in the genus Dasineura. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

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