Otter, Fischotter vs Root rot

Lutra lutra compared with Phytophthora lateralis

Key Differences

• Otter, Fischotter is Vulnerable while Root rot is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Otter, Fischotter	Root rot
Kingdom	Animalia (Tier)	Chromista (Chromista)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Oomycota (Eipilze)
Class	Mammalia (Säugetiere)	Peronosporea (Peronosporea)
Order	Carnivora (Raubtiere)	Peronosporales (Peronosporales)
Family	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)	Peronosporaceae
Genus	Lutra (Otters)	Phytophthora
Species	Lutra lutra	Phytophthora lateralis

Conservation Status

Otter, Fischotter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Root rot

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Otter, Fischotter	Root rot
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.

Root rot

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (6 countries), and North America (United States).

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:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden