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Castor californicus

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Species of mammal (fossil)

Castor californicus
Temporal range: late Miocene to early Pleistocene
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Castoridae
Genus: Castor
Species: †C. californicus
Binomial name
†Castor californicus
Kellogg, 1911
Sites of C. californicus finds
Synonyms

†Castor accessor Hay, 1927

Beaver, Castor californicus

Castor californicus is an extinct species of beaver that lived in western North America from the end of the Miocene to the early Pleistocene. Castor californicus was first discovered in Kettleman Hills in California, United States. The species was similar to but larger than the extant North American beaver, C. canadensis.

Unlike other members of the Castor genus, the Castor californicus has a total of three enamel folds, the folds of the internal enamel epithelium.

Phylogenetic characteristics

The Castor californicus has been determined to be the earliest type of its genus to appear in North America.

Castor californicus is characterized by having short nasal passages. The backs of their skulls were quite wide in comparison to other members of the Castor genus. The coronoid process is more spread out. Their pterygoid muscles were on the larger side, and their neck muscles were broad. Due to these distinctions, Castor californicus had a slight physical advantage compared to Castor fiber. Each Castor californicus was slightly unique in its postcranial morphology. They had short femurs and elongated hind feet, which assisted them in moving with ease through water.

Compared to other species of beavers, Castor californicus had considerably wide metatarsals, which aided them in the swimming and digging process. Castor californicus has three folds of the internal enamel epithelium, unlike other members of the Castor genus.

References

  1. Kellogg, Louise (1911). "A Fossil Beaver from the Kettleman Hills, California". Bulletin of the Department of Geology. 6 (17). University of California Publications: 401–402.
  2. ^ "The Paleobiology Database - Castor californicus". Retrieved 2007-09-30.
  3. Hay, Oliver P. (1927). The Pleistocene of the Western Region of North America and its Vertebrated Animals. Carnegie Institution of Washington. Publication ;no. 322B. Carnegie Institution of Washington. pp. 266–267.
  4. Kurtén, B. & E. Anderson (1980). Pleistocene Mammals of North America. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 236–237. ISBN 0-231-03733-3.
  5. ^ "A fossil beaver from the Kettleman Hills, California, by Louise Kellogg | The Online Books Page". onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  6. Lubbers, Kelly E.; Samuels, Joshua X. (2023-09-02). "Comparison of Miocene to early Pleistocene-aged Castor californicus (Rodentia: Castoridae) to extant beavers and implications for the evolution of Castor in North America". Palaeontologia Electronica. 26 (3): 1–28. doi:10.26879/1284. ISSN 1094-8074.

Further reading

Taxon identifiers
Castor californicus
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