WoRMS taxon details
Lontra canadensis Schreber, 1777
AphiaID: 159017
AphiaID: 159017
| Classification: Biota > Animalia (Kingdom) > Chordata (Phylum) > Vertebrata (Subphylum) > Gnathostomata (Superclass) > Tetrapoda (Superclass) > Mammalia (Class) > Theria (Subclass) > Carnivora (Order) > Caniformia (Suborder) > Mustelidae (Family) > Lontra (Genus) |
| Status | accepted | ||||||||||
| Record status | Checked by Taxonomic Editor | ||||||||||
| Rank | Species | ||||||||||
| Parent | Lontra Gray, 1843 | ||||||||||
| Sources |
basis of record: Grand Manan Whale and Seabird Research Station., available online at http://www.gmwsrs.org/main.htm [details] basis of record: Linkletter, L.E. 1977. A checklist of marine fauna and flora of the Bay of Fundy. Huntsman Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews, N.B. 68 p. [details] basis of record: University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Animal Diversity Web., available online at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html [details] basis of record: Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (eds.). 1993. Mammal species of the world. Smithsonian Institution Press., available online at http://vertebrates.si.edu/mammals/msw/ [details] | ||||||||||
| Vernacular Names |
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| Environment | marine | ||||||||||
| Distribution | Gulf of Maine [details] North West Atlantic [details] | ||||||||||
| Links | To Barcode of Life (6 barcodes) To Biodiversity Heritage Library (19 publications) To Encyclopedia of Life To GenBank (129 nucleotides; 67 proteins) To IUCN Red List To ITIS | ||||||||||
| Notes |
Diet: Amphibians, fish, crayfish, and other invertebrates. Birds and small terrestrial mammals are also eaten on occation. [details] Dimensions: Length: 66-107 cm (tail length is 32-46 cm); Weight: 3-14 kg [details] Distribution: North America (Alaska west across northern Canada and the US to Nova Scotia) [details] Habitat: Riparian zones, usually no more than a few hundred meters from water unless they are moving between rivers or lakes. River otters can tolerate a variety of environments including very cold and hot areas, high elevations, and coastal waters (rarely). [details] Importance: Hunted for many years for their attractive and durable fur. River otters also eat "trash fish" that compete with more economically beneficial game fish. [details] Morphology: Distinguishing characteristics: long streamlined animals with a thick tapered tail and short legs, wide, rounded head, small ears, and nostrils that can be closed underwater. long thick whiskers. they are dark brown to black above a ligther color ventrally. throat and cheeks are usually a golden. The feet have claws and are completely webbed. [details] Predators: None [details] Reproduction: Breeding: March to April. They have one to 5 young born 10-12 months later (delayed implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus). Young are weaned 3-4 months and leave parents after a year. Sexual maturity is reached at 2-3 years of age. [details] | ||||||||||
| LSID | urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:159017 | ||||||||||
| Taxonomic Edit history |
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[Taxonomic tree] [Distribution map] [Google] [Google scholar] [Google images] | |||||||||||
| Citation: Berta, A. (2013). Lontra canadensis Schreber, 1777. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=159017 on 2013-05-19 | |||||||||||
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