Hystrix refossa

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Hystrix refossa
Temporal range: Pleistocene
Hystrix refossa skull.jpg
Skull of Hystrix refossa
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Hystricidae
Genus: Hystrix
Species:
†H. refossa
Binomial name
†Hystrix refossa
Gervais, 1852
Synonyms[1]

Hystrix major
Hystrix crassidens
Hystrix etrusca
Hystrix angressi
Hyatrix gigantea
Hystrix magna

Hystrix refossa is an extinct species of large porcupine that was widespread in Eurasia during the Pleistocene.

Taxonomy[]

Hystrix refossa was first described by palaeontologist Paul Gervais in 1852. Over the years, other large species of Hystrix have been described, including H. angressi from Israel[2] and H. gigantea of Java.[3] These forms are now considered synonymous with H. refossa.[1]

Description[]

Hystrix refossa was larger than living porcupines. It was approximately 20% larger than its closest relative, the living Indian porcupine (H. indica), reaching lengths of over 115 cm (45 in). It also differs from the Indian porcupine in having a high and narrow occipital region, in the anteriorly convergent arrangement of maxillary cheek-teeth series, and in its mandible and the cheek-teeth pattern.[2]

Paleoecology[]

The earliest remains of H. refossa are dated to the start of the Villafranchian and were found at the site of Milea, Grevena in northern Greece.[4] It presumably inhabited vegetated river banks within a mosaic of open and forested terrain under warm and humid conditions.

References[]

  1. ^ a b Van Weers, D.J. (January 2005). "A taxonomic revision of the Pleistocene Hystrix (Hystricidae, Rodentia) from Eurasia with notes on the evolution of the family". Contributions to Zoology. 74 (3/4): 301–312. doi:10.1163/18759866-0740304007.
  2. ^ a b Frenkel, Hanna (1970). "Hystrix angressi sp. nov. A large fossil porcupine from the Levalloiso-Mousterian of the Geula Cave". Israel Journal of Zoology. 19 (1): 51–82. doi:10.1080/00212210.1970.10688303 (inactive 2022-01-29). S2CID 82368682.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of January 2022 (link)
  3. ^ Van Weers, D.J. (1985). "Hystrix gigantea, a new fossil porcupine species from Java (Rodentia: Hystricidae)". Senckenbergiana Lethaea. 66 (1–2): 111–120.
  4. ^ Lazaridis, G.; Tsoukala, E.; Maul, L.C. (2019). "The earliest Hystrix refossa: a new Early Villafranchian record from Milia (Grevena, Macedonia, Greece)". Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy. 30 (1): 12–18. doi:10.4404/hystrix-00140-2018.
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