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by | Mar 16, 2018 | Hosta

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Lutra euxena is an extinct species of otter that was endemic to Malta during the middle to late Pleistocene. The species likely went extinct because of human activity.[1][2]

Evolutionary history

The species lived in Malta between 2.588 and 0.012 Ma.,[3] having a relatively equal size to its mainland counterpart.[2] It along with its Mediterranean counterparts colonized islands by crossing sea channels that were up to 30 km across. Over time, these otters adopted a more land-based lifestyle, eating small mammals on islands alongside fish and shellfish.[1] It was discovered by John Bate.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Alcover, Josep Antoni; McMinn, Miquel (1994). "Predators of Vertebrates on Islands". BioScience. 44 (1): 12–18. doi:10.2307/1312401. ISSN 0006-3568. JSTOR 1312401.
  2. ^ a b Lyras, George A.; van der Geer, Alexandra A. E.; Rook, Lorenzo (2010). "Body size of insular carnivores: evidence from the fossil record". Journal of Biogeography. 37 (6): 1007–1021. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2010.02312.x. ISSN 0305-0270. JSTOR 40731389. S2CID 53700369.
  3. ^ "Nesolutra euxena". Palaeobiology Database. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
  4. ^ "Lutra euxena - The Recently Extinct Plants and Animals Database". recentlyextinctspecies.com. Retrieved 2021-11-05.


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