Dwarf Spikemoss vs European otter

Selaginella rupestris compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

• Dwarf Spikemoss is Not Evaluated while European otter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Dwarf Spikemoss	European otter
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Tracheophyta	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Lycopodiopsida (Lycopodiopsida)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Selaginellales (Selaginellales)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Selaginellaceae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Selaginella	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Selaginella rupestris	Lutra lutra

Conservation Status

Dwarf Spikemoss

NE — Not Evaluated

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Dwarf Spikemoss

Habitat

Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Canada, Norway, 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.

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 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway