Giant Otter vs

Pteronura brasiliensis compared with Stephanoeca kentii

Key Differences

• Giant Otter is Endangered while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Giant Otter
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Protozoa (protozoa)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Choanozoa (Choanozoa)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Choanoflagellatea (Choanoflagellatea)
Order	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Choanoflagellida (Choanoflagellida)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Acanthoecidae
Genus	Pteronura	Stephanoeca
Species	Pteronura brasiliensis	Stephanoeca kentii

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 Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

Stephanoeca kentii is a loricate choanoflagellate, a marine unicellular organism that constructs a delicate basket-like structure (lorica) of siliceous strips surrounding its cell. It inhabits coastal and oceanic waters where it feeds on picoplankton bacteria. Choanoflagellates like this species are of scientific interest as the closest living unicellular relatives of animals.