Lutra lutra

• Overview
• Common Names
• Description
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Threatened

Common Names

Click on the language to view common names.

Description

Habitat

Ecology: It is known from a wide variety of aquatic habitats , including highland and lowland lakes , rivers , streams , marshes, swamp forests and coastal areas. Otters have been found in the brackish waters below sea level in the Netherlands, up to 1,000 m and more in the Alps or the Pyrenees, and above 3,500 m in the Himalayas or 4,120 m in Tibet. It is very adaptable, using saltwater as well as freshwater habitats , sewerage systems in urban areas or rivers in Asia. In most parts of its range otter distribution is correlated with bank side vegetation. Otters in different regions may depend upon different features of the habitat, but the important component of otter habitat, for breeding purposes, is the presence of holes in the river bank, cavities among tree roots , piles of rock, wood or debris . The Eurasian otter avoids deep water . Their distribution in coastal areas, especially the location of holts, is strongly correlated with the presence of freshwater.[1]


List of Habitats:1.5Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Dry 1.6Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland 1.7Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level 1.8Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Swamp 3.6Shrubland - Subtropical/Tropical Moist 4.6Grassland - Subtropical/Tropical Seasonally Wet/Flooded 5.1Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls ) 5.2Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent/Irregular Rivers/Streams/Creeks 5.3Wetlands (inland) - Shrub Dominated Wetlands 5.4Wetlands (inland) - Bogs , Marshes, Swamps, Fens , Peatlands 5.5Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) 5.6Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) 5.7Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) 5.8Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha) 5.9Wetlands (inland) - Freshwater Springs and Oases 5.10Wetlands (inland) - Tundra Wetlands (incl. pools and temporary waters from snowmelt) 5.11Wetlands (inland) - Alpine Wetlands (includes temporary waters from snowmelt) 5.13Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Inland Deltas 5.14Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes 5.15Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Lakes and Flats 5.16Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools 5.17Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools 9.7Marine Neritic - Macroalgal/Kelp 9.10Marine Neritic - Estuaries 12.1Marine Intertidal - Rocky Shoreline 12.2Marine Intertidal - Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars , Spits , Etc 12.4Marine Intertidal - Mud Flats and Salt Flats 12.5Marine Intertidal - Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) 13.4Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes 13.5Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Freshwater Lakes 15.1Artificial/Aquatic - Water Storage Areas (over 8ha) 15.2Artificial/Aquatic - Ponds (below 8ha) 15.3Artificial/Aquatic - Aquaculture Ponds 15.7Artificial/Aquatic - Irrigated Land (includes irrigation channels ) 15.8Artificial/Aquatic - Seasonally Flooded Agricultural Land 15.9Artificial/Aquatic - Canals and Drainage Channels, Ditches

Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms

1. Encentrum lutra Wulfert

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 28-Oct-2003

Similar Species

Members of the genus Lutra

There are approximately 61 species in this genus:

L. angustifrons · L. annectens · L. bravardi · L. californica · L. canadensis (Canadian Otter;river Otter) · L. canadensis canadensis (River Otter) · L. canadensis interior · L. canadensis lataxina · L. canadensis pacifica · L. canadensis preblei · L. canadensis sonora · L. canadensis subsp · L. canadensis vaga · L. capensis · L. chilensis · L. chinensis · L. cinerea · L. emerita · L. felina · L. gambianus · L. gracilis · L. incarum · L. indica · L. indigitatus · L. leptonyx · L. longicaudis · L. longicaudis annectens · L. longicaudis enudris · L. longicaudis longicaudis · L. longicaudis platensis · L. longicaudus · L. lovii · L. lutra (European Otter;european River Otter;otter) · L. lutra angustifrons · L. lutra barang · L. lutra chinensis · L. lutra hainana · L. lutra lutra (European Otter) · L. lutra monticola · L. lutra nair · L. lutra seistanica · L. maculicollis (Spotted-Necked Otter) · L. marina · L. mitis · L. monticolus · L. nippon (Blacksaddle Goatfish) · L. palaeindica · L. parilina · L. perspicillata · L. perspicillata perspicillata · L. platensis · L. poensis · L. provocax · L. roensis · L. simplicidens · L. simung · L. stelleri · L. sumatrana (Hairy-Nosed Otter) · L. tarayensis · L. trinacriae · L. vulgaris

More Info

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Further Reading

• A study of the mammals of Iran: resulting from the Street Expedition of 1962-63 [by] Douglas M. Lay. [Chicago]Field Museum of Natural History, 1967. ENG url p. 211, p. 279, p. 55, p. 69, p. 75.
• A survey of the mammals of Afghanistan, resulting from the 1965 Street Expedition (excluding bats) [by] Jerry D. Hassinger. [Chicago]Field Museum of Natural History, 1973. ENG url p. 136, p. 141.
• Annali del Museo civico di storia naturale di Genova. Genova: Tip. del R. Istituto Sordo-Muti, 1870-1914. ITA url p. 201.
• Baillie, J. and Groombridge, B. (compilers and editors) 1996. 1996 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
• Beja, P.R. 1992. Effects of freshwater availability on the summer distribution of otters Lutra lutra in the southwest coast of Portugal. Ecography 15: 273-278.
• Boletim da Sociedade Portuguesa de Ciias Naturais. Lisboa, Sociedade Portuguesa de Ciias Naturais, 1908- ENG url p. 101.
• Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Historia Natural. Madrid: Estab. tip. de Fortenet, 1901-1937. SPA url p. 360.
• Bulletin biologique de la France et de la Belgique. Montreuil [etc.]Gauther-Villars [etc.] FRE url p. 372.
• Bulletin de la Soci philomathique de Paris. Paris. FRE url p. 98.
• Bulletin de la Société des sciences naturelles de l'Ouest de la France. Nantes, Société des sciences naturelles de l'Ouest de la France [etc.] FRE url p. 2.
• Bulletin de la Société zoologique de France. Paris: La Société, FRE url p. 91.
• Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). London: BM(NH) ENG url p. 10.
• Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College. Cambridge, Mass.: The Museum, ENG url p. 187, p. 573, p. 740.
• Catalogue of the mammals of Western Europe (Europe exclusive of Russia) in the collection of the British museum, by Gerrit S. Miller. London, Printed by order of the Trustees, 1912. ENG url p. 355, p. 356, p. 359.
• Catalogue of the mammals of western Europe (Europe exclusive of Russia) in the collection of the British Museum / by Gerrit S. Miller. London: BMNH, 1912. ENG url p. 355, p. 356, p. 359.
• Causeries scientifiques. Paris. FRE url p. 379.
• Checklist of Palaearctic and Indian mammals 1758 to 1946 / by J.R. Ellerman and T.C.S. Morrison-Scott. London: BM(NH), 1966. ENG url p. 275, p. 275, p. 276, p. 276, p. 277, p. 277.
• Conroy, J. 1995. Otters and oil spills - the impacts and the effects. Cahiers d'Ethologie 15(2-4): 325-336.
• Conroy, J., Melisch, R. and Chanin, P. 1998. The distribution and status of the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in Asia – A preliminary review. IUCN Otter Specialist Group Bulletin 15(1): 15-30.
• Fauna och flora: populr tidskrift fr biologi. Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksells, 1906-1967; SWE url p. 65.
• Faune des mammifs d'Europe. Berlin, R. Friedler, 1910. FRE url p. 86.
• Fishery bulletin / U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service. Washington, D.C.: The Service: ENG url p. 510, p. 710.
• Green, R. 1991. The impacts of hunting, poaching and accidents on otter survival and measures to protect individual animals. In: C. Reuther and R. Röchert (eds) Proceedings V. International Otter Colloquium, Hankensbüttel 1989. Habitat No.6, pp.171-190. Hankensbüttel, Germany.
• Hilton-Taylor, C. (compiler). 2000. 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.
• Introduction to the mammal survey of the 1965 Street Expedition to Afghanistan [by] Jerry D. Hassinger. [Chicago]Field Museum of Natural History, 1968. ENG url p. 60, p. 67.
• Jefferies, D.J., Johnson, A., Green, R. and Hanson, H.M. 1989. Entanglement with monofilament nylon fishing net: A hazard to otters. Otters, Journal of the Otter Trust 2(2): 11-16.
• Kruuk, H. 1995. Wild otters - Predation and populations. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
• Kruuk, H. and Balharry, D. 1990. Effects of seawater on the thermal insulation of the otter, Lutra lutra L. Journal of Zoology (London) 220: 405-415.
• Kruuk, H. and Conroy, J.W.H. 1991. Mortality of otters (Lutra lutra) in Shetland. Journal of Applied Ecology 28: 83-94.
• Mammals of Eastern Asia / by G.H.H. Tate. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1947. ENG url p. 155, p. 156.
• Mammals of the Pacific world / [by] T.D. Carter, J.E. Hill [and] G.H.H. Tate. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1945. ENG url p. 204, p. 205, p. 222, p. 84.
• Mason, C.F. 1989.Water pollution and otter distribution: a review. Lutra 32: 97-134.
• Mason, C.F. and Macdonald, S.M. 1986. Otters: ecology and conservation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
• Meddelanden af Societatis pro Fauna et Flora Fennica. Helsingfors[Societas pro Fauna et Flora Fennica] SWE url p. 130, p. 141, p. 143, p. 163, p. 199, p. 260, p. 60, p. 97.
• Otter Specialist Group. For more information, see the Specialist Group website
• Prater, S.H. 1971. The book of Indian animals. Third edition. Bombay Natural History Society. Oxford University Press, Bombay.
• Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. [Philadelphia, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia] ENG url p. 815.
• Proceedings of the San Diego Society of Natural History. [San Diego, Calif.]: San Diego Society of Natural History, 1990- ENG url p. 65.
• Proceedings of the United States National Museum. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, [etc.] ENG url p. 28.
• Ruiz-Olmo, J. and Gosalbez, J. 1997. Observations on the sprainting behaviour of the otter Lutra lutra in the NE Spain. Acta Theriologica 42(3): 259-270.
• Skarén, U. 1988. Chlorinated hydrocarbons, PCBs and cesium isotopes in otters (Lutra lutra L.) from central Finland. Annales Zoologici Fennici 25: 271-276.
• Skarén, U. 1992. Analysis of one hundred otters killed by accidents in central Finland. IUCN Otter Specialist Group Bulletin 7: 9-12.
• Skarén, U. 1988. Chlorinated hydrocarbons, PCBs and cesium isotopes in otters (Lutra lutra L.) from central Finland. Annales Zoologici Fennici 25: 271-276.
• Skarén, U. 1992. Analysis of one hundred otters killed by accidents in central Finland. IUCN Otter Specialist Group Bulletin 7: 9-12.
• Smithsonian miscellaneous collections. Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1862-1968. ENG url p. 233.
• Strachan, R. and Jefferies, D.J. 1996. Otter survey of England 1991-1994. The Vincent Wildlife Trust, London.
• The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. Bombay: The Society, ENG url p. 1032, p. 823.
• The anthropology of Iraq. The Upper Euphrates / by Henry Field, Curator of Physical Anthropology. Chicago:Field Museum, 1940 ENG url p. 160.
• Troms museums aarsberetning for Troms: [Troms museum], 1881- NOR url p. 12.
• Verhandlungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Basel. Basel, Birkher. GER url p. 301.
• W. Christopher Wozencraft: Status: CITES - Appendix I; IUCN - Vulnerable as Lutra lutra lutra
• Wilson, Don E., and DeeAnn M. Reeder, eds. 1993. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, 2nd ed., 3rd printing. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, DC, USA. xviii + 1207. ISBN: 1-56098-217-9.
• Zoologica. Stuttgart [etc.]E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchandlung [etc.] GER url p. 12, p. 17, p. 195, p. 199, p. 2, p. 200, p. 201, p. 202, p. 203, p. 204, p. 205, p. 206, p. 233, p. 241, p. 246, p. 25, p. 32, p. 33, p. 36, p. 44, p. 45, p. 52, p. 55, p. 6, p. 60, p. 61, p. 62, p. 64, p. 66, p. 68.
• Zoologische Jahrbücher. Jena [Germany]: G. Fischer, GER url p. 194.

Notes

Contributors

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 18, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 11 providers.
• Reuther, C. & Hilton-Taylor, C. 2004. In IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCNRedList.org. Downloaded July 19, 2008.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 18, 2007:

• Marine Science Institute, UCSB, Paleobiology Database
• UK National Biodiversity Network, Joint Nature Conservation Committee - England Otter Survey Database
• UK National Biodiversity Network, Scottish Borders Biological Records Centre - SWT Scottish Borders Local Wildlife Site Survey data 1996-2000 - species information

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2478269
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: ITS-621916
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13740390
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 621916
• IUCN ID: 12419
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 127973

Footnotes

1. Reuther, C. & Hilton-Taylor, C. 2004. In IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCNRedList.org. Downloaded July 19, 2008. [back]

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