Devil fish vs European otter

Mobula mobular compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

• Devil fish is Endangered while European otter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Devil fish	European otter
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Elasmobranchii	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Myliobatiformes (Myliobatiformes)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Myliobatidae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Mobula	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Mobula mobular	Lutra lutra

Evolutionary Relationship

Devil fish and European otter share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Devil fish

EN — Endangered

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Devil fish

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Portugal. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

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.