Otter, Fischotter vs Peitschenrochen

Lutra lutra compared with Hypanus americanus

Key Differences

• Otter, Fischotter is Vulnerable while Peitschenrochen is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Otter, Fischotter	Peitschenrochen
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Mammalia (Säugetiere)	Elasmobranchii
Order	Carnivora (Raubtiere)	Myliobatiformes (Stechrochenartige)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Dasyatidae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Hypanus
Species	Lutra lutra	Hypanus americanus

Evolutionary Relationship

Otter, Fischotter and Peitschenrochen share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordatiere)

Conservation Status

Otter, Fischotter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Peitschenrochen

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Peitschenrochen

Habitat

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

Range

Found in Venezuela. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.