Lontra

Lontra is a genus of otter native to the Americas, in the family Mustelidae and subfamily Lutrinae, comprising five living species and one known fossil species. The living species are the North American river otter, southern river otter, Neotropical otter, northern Neotropical otter, and marine otter, while the extinct Weirs otter is known from the Pliocene of North America; the oldest fossils attributed to the genus come from the Miocene of Florida. Lontra species range from North America through Central America into South America, with the southern river otter restricted to Chile and Argentina and the Neotropical otter reaching as far as Trinidad, and they occupy habitats from freshwater rivers to marine coastlines. Conservation status varies by species, from least concern to endangered, and all were formerly classified within the genus Lutra before being reclassified to better reflect their evolutionary relationships.