European otter vs False widow

Lutra lutra compared with Steatoda bipunctata

Key Differences

• European otter is Vulnerable while False widow is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	False widow
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Araneae (Araneae)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Theridiidae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Steatoda
Species	Lutra lutra	Steatoda bipunctata

Evolutionary Relationship

European otter and False widow share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

False widow

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic 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.

False widow

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Found across Europe (4 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

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 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden