Braconid wasp vs European otter

Meteorus pulchricornis compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

• Braconid wasp is Not Evaluated while European otter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Braconid wasp	European otter
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Braconidae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Meteorus	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Meteorus pulchricornis	Lutra lutra

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Braconid wasp

NE — Not Evaluated

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Braconid wasp

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.

Braconid wasp

The Braconid wasp (Meteorus pulchricornis) is a species in the genus Meteorus. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats. It is found in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and United States.

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