Lontra weiri

Lontra weiri (Weir's otter) is a fossil species in the carnivoran family Mustelidae from the Hagerman Fossil Beds of Idaho. It shared its habitat with Satherium piscinarium, a probable ancestor of the giant otter of South America.[1] It is named in honor of musician Bob Weir, and is the oldest known member of its genus.[2] Prior to its discovery, Lontra was thought to have evolved from Lutra licenti, which dates from the Pleistocene of East Asia.[3]

Weir's otter
Temporal range: Pliocene
↓
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Genus: Lontra
Species:
†L. weiri
Binomial name
†Lontra weiri
Prassack (2016)

Description

Weir's otter was intermediate in form between Lutra (Old World river otters) and modern members of its genus. It was a small otter, similar in size to the modern marine otter (Lontra felina),[2] which has a head-body length of 33 to 44 inches and can weigh up to 12 pounds.[4] It is known from most of a right mandible and a left humerus.[2]

References
  1. Prassack, K.A. (July 2016). "Lontra weiri, sp. nov., a Pliocene river otter (Mammalia, Carnivora, Mustelidae, Lutrinae) from the Hagerman Fossil Beds (Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument), Idaho, USA". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 36 (4): e1149075. doi:10.1080/02724634.2016.1149075. S2CID 87404097.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  2. Switek, Brian. "Paleo Profile: Bob Weir's Otter". Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  3. Revell, Jamie. "Ancient Otters of Idaho". Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  4. Marine otter (Lontra felina). arkive.org


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