European otter vs toothcup

Lutra lutra compared with Ammannia latifolia

Key Differences

• European otter is Vulnerable while toothcup is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	European otter	toothcup
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Myrtales (Myrtales)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Lythraceae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Ammannia
Species	Lutra lutra	Ammannia latifolia

Conservation Status

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

toothcup

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	European otter	toothcup
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.

toothcup

Habitat

Inhabits montane grasslands and shrublands and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Morocco), North America (Cuba), and South America (4 countries).

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.