European otter vs sun shell

Lutra lutra compared with Astraea heliotropium

Key Differences

• European otter is Vulnerable while sun shell is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	sun shell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Mollusca (Mollusks)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Gastropoda (Gastropoda)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Trochida (Trochida)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Turbinidae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Astraea
Species	Lutra lutra	Astraea heliotropium

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

sun shell

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	sun shell
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.

sun shell

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial and aquatic habitats including forests and freshwater.

Range

Found in New Zealand.

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.