European otter vs large blue

Lutra lutra compared with Maculinea arion

Key Differences

• European otter is Vulnerable while large blue is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	large blue
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Lycaenidae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Maculinea
Species	Lutra lutra	Maculinea arion

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

large blue

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	large blue
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.

large blue

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found in Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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:

🇸🇪 Sweden