Chimaera vs European water vole

Chimaera monstrosa compared with Arvicola amphibius

Key Differences

• Chimaera is Vulnerable while European water vole is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chimaera	European water vole
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Holocephali (Holocephali)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Chimaeriformes (Chimaeriformes)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Chimaeridae	Cricetidae
Genus	Chimaera	Arvicola
Species	Chimaera monstrosa	Arvicola amphibius

Evolutionary Relationship

Chimaera and European water vole share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Chimaera

VU — Vulnerable

European water vole

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chimaera	European water vole
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chimaera

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

European water vole

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Russia, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Chimaera

The Chimaera (Chimaera monstrosa) is a species in the genus Chimaera. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden