European otter vs

Lutra lutra compared with Schizothrix lateritia

Key Differences

European otter is Vulnerable while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Bacteria (Bacteria)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Cyanobacteria (Cyanobacteria)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Cyanobacteriia
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Leptolyngbyales (Leptolyngbyales)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Trichocoleusaceae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Schizothrix
Species	Lutra lutra	Schizothrix lateritia

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter
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.

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

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.

Schizothrix lateritia is a filamentous cyanobacterium in the family Microchaetaceae that forms reddish-brown mats on soil, rocks, and other surfaces in humid or semi-arid environments. It contains multiple trichomes within a common sheath and is involved in biocrust formation and primary production. Its conservation status is not evaluated.