European otter vs large-seed dodder

Lutra lutra compared with Cuscuta indecora

Key Differences

• European otter is Vulnerable while large-seed dodder is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	large-seed dodder
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Solanales (Solanales)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Convolvulaceae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Cuscuta
Species	Lutra lutra	Cuscuta indecora

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

large-seed dodder

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	large-seed dodder
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-seed dodder

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia.

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.