arrow worm vs European otter

Parasagitta elegans compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

• arrow worm is Not Evaluated while European otter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	arrow worm	European otter
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chaetognatha (arrow worms)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Sagittoidea (Sagittoidea)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Aphragmophora (Aphragmophora)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Sagittidae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Parasagitta	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Parasagitta elegans	Lutra lutra

Evolutionary Relationship

arrow worm and European otter share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

arrow worm

NE — Not Evaluated

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	arrow worm	European otter
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	10 years
Average Length	—	1.0 m
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

arrow worm

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark and Norway.

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.

arrow worm

The Arrow worm, Parasagitta elegans, is a species. 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 2 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway