brittlestar vs European otter

Amphiura filiformis compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

brittlestar is Least Concern while European otter is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	brittlestar	European otter
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Echinodermata (Equinoderme)	Chordata (cordados)
Class	Ophiuroidea (Ophiuroidea)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Amphilepidida (Amphilepidida)	Carnivora (carnívoros)
Family	Amphiuridae	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Amphiura	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Amphiura filiformis	Lutra lutra

Evolutionary Relationship

brittlestar and European otter share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

View Kingdom: Animalia

Conservation Status

brittlestar

LC — Least Concern

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	brittlestar	European otter
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	10 years
Average Length	—	1.0 m
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

brittlestar

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

European otter

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.

brittlestar

The Brittlestar (Amphiura filiformis) is a species in the genus Amphiura. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

European otter

Mustelídeo semiacuático de corpo esguio encontrado ao longo de rios limpos, riachos e costas da Europa e Ásia. A lontra-europeia (Lutra lutra) pode atingir 1,3 metros de comprimento e é uma caçadora de peixes altamente habilidosa, usando bigodes sensíveis para detectar os movimentos de suas presas. Necessitando de água não poluída com abundância de peixes, é uma espécie indicadora da saúde dos ecossistemas de água doce. Quase extinta na Europa Ocidental devido à caça e à poluição, as populações se recuperaram significativamente após melhorias na qualidade da água.