Amazonian River Otter

Open encyclopedia reference

The neotropical otter or neotropical river otter (Lontra longicaudis) is a near-threatened (per the IUCN) otter species found in freshwater systems from Mexico and Central America through mainland South America, as well as the island of Trinidad. It is physically similar to the northern (L. canadensis) and southern river otter (L. provocax), which occur directly north and south of this species' range, respectively. Its head-to-body length can range from 36–66 centimetres (14–26 in), plus a tail of 37–84 centimetres (15–33 in). Body weight ranges from 5–15 kilograms (11–33 lb).

The neotropical otter is found in many different riverine habitats and riparian zones, including those in tropical and temperate deciduous to evergreen forests, savannas, llanos (of Colombia and Venezuela) and the pantanal (in Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay). It prefers to live in clear, fast-flowing rivers and streams, preferably away from competition with the more boisterous giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis). Unlike other otters (including the aforementioned giant species), which live in large and cohesive socio-familial units, the neotropical otter is a relatively solitary animal, feeding mostly on fish and crustaceans.

Wikipedia contributors, Neotropical otter; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T09:04:42.476321+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.

Identity & source status

Scientific name

Lontra longicaudis (Olfers, 1818)

Name authority

(Olfers, 1818)

Common name

Amazonian River Otter

Rank

species

Accepted status

accepted

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Carnivora

Family

Mustelidae

Genus

Lontra

Extinction status

Recorded extant

Classification family tree

Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.

1. domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
2. kingdomAnimalia
3. phylumChordata
4. subphylumVertebrata
5. infraphylumGnathostomata
6. parvphylumOsteichthyes
7. megaclassTetrapoda
8. classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
9. subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
10. infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
11. orderCarnivora Bowdich, 1821
12. suborderCaniformia Kretzoi, 1938
13. familyMustelidae G. Fischer von Waldheim, 1817
14. subfamilyLutrinae Bonaparte, 1838
15. genusLontra Gray, 1843
16. speciesLontra longicaudis (Olfers, 1818)

Close classified relatives

These entries share the source’s genus, Lontra. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.

Browse 58 records assigned to Mustelidae.

Names & synonyms

Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.

Documented distribution

Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.

Source literature & publication evidence

References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.

1. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=621914 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references

Origins, evidence & remaining research

Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.

Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.

Dataset citation & attribution

This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11

Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.

Stable key: col:3VZKS. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.