Collembola vs Otter, Fischotter

Folsomides angularis compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

• Collembola is Not Evaluated while Otter, Fischotter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Collembola	Otter, Fischotter
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Gliederfüßer)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Collembola (Springschwänze)	Mammalia (Säugetiere)
Order	Entomobryomorpha (Entomobryomorpha)	Carnivora (Raubtiere)
Family	Isotomidae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Folsomides	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Folsomides angularis	Lutra lutra

Evolutionary Relationship

Collembola and Otter, Fischotter share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Tier)

Conservation Status

Collembola

NE — Not Evaluated

Otter, Fischotter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Collembola	Otter, Fischotter
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	10 years
Average Length	—	1.0 m
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Collembola

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Otter, Fischotter

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.

Collembola

<em>Folsomides angularis</em>, commonly referred to as Collembola in reference to its broader taxonomic order, is a springtail species belonging to the genus <em>Folsomides</em>. Springtails are among the most abundant hexapods in terrestrial ecosystems, playing important roles in soil decomposition and nutrient cycling. This species has been documented in Europe, with records from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, as well as North America, where it is known from the United States. It typically inhabits soil, leaf litter, and decaying organic matter, and is capable of tolerating a range of environmental conditions. Springtails of this group are detritivores, feeding on decomposing plant material, fungal hyphae, and microorganisms, though specific dietary data for <em>Folsomides angularis</em> are not detailed in current records. The species has not been formally assessed for conservation status. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. Its small body size and cryptic lifestyle make detailed ecological study challenging.

Otter, Fischotter

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden