Dune Waxcap vs European otter

Hygrocybe conicoides compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

• Dune Waxcap is Data Deficient while European otter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Dune Waxcap	European otter
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Hygrophoraceae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Hygrocybe	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Hygrocybe conicoides	Lutra lutra

Conservation Status

Dune Waxcap

DD — Data Deficient

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Dune Waxcap

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, and Norway.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway