In this article, we will explore the topic of Teruelictis in depth. From its origins to its relevance today, we will put under the magnifying glass all aspects related to Teruelictis. Our goal is to offer our readers a complete and detailed view of this topic, providing invaluable information that allows them to better understand its importance and impact in various areas. Through an exhaustive analysis and the presentation of relevant data, we are going to delve into Teruelictis to unravel its implications and its scope in different contexts. Without a doubt, Teruelictis is a highly relevant topic that deserves careful examination, and that is precisely what we will do in the following pages. So get ready to embark on a fascinating journey through Teruelictis.
Teruelictis Temporal range: Late Miocene (10 MYA)
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Family: | Mustelidae |
Genus: | †Teruelictis Salesa, 2013 |
Species: | †T. riparius
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Binomial name | |
†Teruelictis riparius Salesa, 2013
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Teruelictis riparius is an extinct mammalian carnivoran, belonging to the family Mustelidae and was probably related to otters. The animal lived in the Upper Miocene and its fossils have been found in Spain. The animal was probably a terrestrial predator.
The animal is about 60 centimeters long and its dentition is very otter-like. However, the animal does not appear to have been semi-aquatic. Its skeleton was slender and long-legged, unlike that of otters. These conflicting features suggest that the evolutionairy line of otters originated in the Miocene (or even the lower Oligocene) and that the dental morphology of otters developed before the other characteristics of the skeleton did. [1]