Blackthorn Rust vs European otter

Tranzschelia pruni-spinosae compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

Blackthorn Rust is Not Evaluated while European otter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blackthorn Rust	European otter
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Pucciniomycetes (Pucciniomycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Pucciniales (Pucciniales)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Tranzscheliaceae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Tranzschelia	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Tranzschelia pruni-spinosae	Lutra lutra

Conservation Status

Blackthorn Rust

NE — Not Evaluated

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blackthorn Rust

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found across Asia (Taiwan) and Europe (5 countries).

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.

Blackthorn Rust

The Blackthorn Rust (Tranzschelia pruni-spinosae) is a species in the genus Tranzschelia. Found across Asia (Taiwan) and Europe (5 countries).

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.