All otters belong to the family Mustelidae, along with weasels, skunks, minks, and badgers. Mustelids are characterized by generally long, streamlined bodies; fine, dense hair; and scent glands at the base of the tail.
Species in the genus Aonyx have digits that are either clawless or have very small, often blunt claws.
4.
Genus - Enhydra (sea otter).
•
sea otter (Enhydra lutris)
°
Sea otters are further divided into three subspecies: E.l. lutris - the Russian or Asian sea otter; E.l. kenyoni - the northern or Alaskan sea otter; and E.l. nereis - the southern or California sea otter. The subspecies are separated geographically, and vary slightly in their size, diet, use of tools, and the amount of time they spend on land.
The fossil remnants of many freshwater otters date back to the Miocene (5 to 23 million years ago).
2.
Scientists believe that sea otters descended from fish-eating, otter-like ancestors about five to seven million years ago, during the late Miocene and early Pliocene period.
