Lutra castiglionis
Lutra castiglionis, the Castiglione otter or Corsican otter, is an extinct species of otter that was endemic to Corsica during the Pleistocene.
| Lutra castiglionis Temporal range: Mid Pleistocene | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Mustelidae |
| Genus: | Lutra |
| Species: | †L. castiglionis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Lutra castiglionis Pereira & Salotti, 2000 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Cyrnolutra castiglionis | |
Taxonomy
Lutra castiglionis was described in 2000, originally under a new genus, Cyrnolutra.[1] In 2006, it was transferred into the genus Lutra.[2] A possible ancestor of this species is Lutra simplicidens, known from mainland Europe.
Description
The Castiglione otter was probably very well adapted to a riverine aquatic way of life. Remains show a flattening of the sacrum, indicating it had a much stronger tail than most other otters, which would allow it to propel itself more efficiently in aquatic environments.[2]
Remains of the Castiglione otter are known from Castiglione Cave in Corsica. These fossils have been dated to the Mid Pleistocene, approximately 157,500 BP (+22,200/-17,300).
References
- Pereira, E.; Salotti, M. (2000). "Cyrnolutra castiglionis, une nouvelle forme de loutre (Mustelidae, Lutrinae), dans un dépôt du Pléistocène moyen " Castiglione 3CG "(Oletta, Haute-Corse)". Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Série IIA. 331 (1): 45–52. Bibcode:2000CRASE.331...45P. doi:10.1016/S1251-8050(00)00212-3.
- Willemsen, Gerard F. (2006). "Megalenhydris and its relationship to Lutra Reconsidered". Hellenic Journal of Geosciences. 41: 83–87.