Introductory
WILDLIFE SPECIES: Lutra canadensis | River Otter 



ABBREVIATION : 
LUCA

COMMON NAMES : 
   river otter
   northern river otter
   Canadian otter
   land otter
   fish otter


TAXONOMY : 
The currently accepted scientific name for the river otter is Lutra
canadensis Schreber. (Lutrinae).  Nineteen subspecies have been
recognized by Hall and Kelson [10] and are listed below:

     Lutra canadensis ssp. canadensis Schreber
     Lutra canadensis ssp. brevipilosus Grinnell
     Lutra canadensis ssp. chimo Anderson
     Lutra canadensis ssp. degener Bangs
     Lutra canadensis ssp. evexa Goldman
     Lutra canadensis ssp. extera Goldman
     Lutra canadensis ssp. interior Swenk
     Lutra canadensis ssp. kodiacensis Goldman
     Lutra canadensis ssp. lataxina F. Cuvier
     Lutra canadensis ssp. nexa Goldman
     Lutra canadensis ssp. optiva Goldman
     Lutra canadensis ssp. pacifica Rhoads
     Lutra canadensis ssp. periclyzomae Elliot
     Lutra canadensis ssp. preblei Goldman
     Lutra canadensis ssp. sonora Rhoads
     Lutra canadensis ssp. texensis Goldman
     Lutra canadensis ssp. vaga Bangs
     Lutra canadensis ssp. vancouverensis Goldman
     Lutra canadensis ssp. yukonensis Goldman

A taxonomic revision of the Lutrinae was done by van Zyll de Jong, who
recommended consolidating the above nineteen subspecies and the Prince
of Wales Island form (Lutra mira Goldman) into seven subspecies of Lutra
canadensis, but leaving the southern river otter (Lutra annectens) as a
separate species [4].


ORDER : 
Carnivora

CLASS : 
Mammal

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
See OTHER STATUS

OTHER STATUS : 
Lutra canadensis sonora is federally listed as a Category 2 subspecies
[24].

The river otter is state-listed as endangered in Nebraska [23], Illinois
[21], and Colorado and threatened in South Dakota [22].  Region 3 of the
U.S.  Forest Service lists it as a sensitive species.  Montana lists the
otter as a furbearer, and imposes a one-otter limit per season [6].  The
inclusion of the taxa Lutrinae in Appendix II of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species in 1977 required that the
river otter be managed to ensure that stable or increasing populations
persist.  States must provide the U.S.  Endangered Species Scientific
Authority with information that justifies current river otter management
[19].


COMPILED BY AND DATE : 
Julie L. Tesky, June 1993


LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : 
NO-ENTRY


AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Tesky, Julie L. 1993. Lutra canadensis. In: Remainder of Citation

Related categories for Wildlife Species: Lutra canadensis | River Otter