vs European otter

Chroococcus submarinus compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while European otter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		European otter
Kingdom	Bacteria (Bacteria)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Cyanobacteria (Cyanobacteria)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Cyanobacteriia	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Cyanobacteriales	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Microcystaceae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Chroococcus	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Chroococcus submarinus	Lutra lutra

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

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.

Chroococcus submarinus is a species of cyanobacteria in the family Chroococcaceae, documented from saline and brackish aquatic environments. The specific epithet submarinus indicates an association with marine or nearshore saline habitats, distinguishing this species from the many Chroococcus species found exclusively in freshwater. Cyanobacteria are notably tolerant of a wide range of salinities, and the genus Chroococcus includes species from freshwater, brackish, marine, and hypersaline environments. In marine and coastal habitats, cyanobacteria contribute significantly to nitrogen fixation, particularly in oligotrophic tropical and subtropical seas where they can fix atmospheric nitrogen into biologically available forms, subsidizing productivity. Chroococcus submarinus, like other members of the genus, consists of spherical cells occurring in pairs or small groups within gelatinous sheaths. Marine cyanobacteria are important components of coastal biofilms on rocky shores, seagrass meadows, and other benthic habitats. The species has been recorded from European coastal and semi-saline environments. As a prokaryotic microorganism, it has not been assessed under IUCN criteria, and detailed ecological studies specific to this species remain limited.

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.