Giant Otter vs

Pteronura brasiliensis compared with Phacus hamelii

Key Differences

• Giant Otter is Endangered while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Giant Otter
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Protozoa (protozoa)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Euglenozoa (Euglenozoa)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Euglenoidea (Euglenoidea)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Euglenida (Euglenida)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Phacidae
Genus	Pteronura	Phacus
Species	Pteronura brasiliensis	Phacus hamelii

Conservation Status

Giant Otter

EN — Endangered

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Giant Otter
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Giant Otter

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia and Venezuela. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Brazil, Denmark, and Taiwan.

Phacus hamelii is a unicellular, photosynthetic euglenoid alga with a flattened, asymmetric cell body containing chloroplasts and a distinctive posterior tail-like extension. It inhabits freshwater environments including ponds, ditches, and slow-moving water bodies rich in organic matter. Like other Phacus species, it uses a flagellum for locomotion and can perform both photosynthesis and heterotrophic feeding.