Enhydriodon

Common card · No. 387623

Enhydriodon is an extinct genus of otters known from Africa and South Asia that lived from the late Miocene to the early Pleistocene. It contains nine confirmed species, two debated species, and at least a few other undescribed species from Africa. The genus name means "otter tooth" in Ancient Greek and is a reference to its dentition rather than to the Enhydra genus, which includes the modern sea otter and its two prehistoric relatives. Enhydriodon belongs to the tribe Enhydriodontini (which also contains Sivaonyx and Vishnuonyx) in the otter subfamily Lutrinae. The exact sizes and lengths of Enhydriodon species are unknown given the lack of complete fossils of it and most related fossil lutrines. Indian subcontinental species are estimated to be of weights similar to that of the extant sea otter, but African species are estimated to be heavier than extant lutrines. In particular, several species such as E. kamuhangirei, E. dikikae, and E. omoensis were estimated to weigh over 100 kg...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Authors: Alberto Valenciano, Romala Govender E. hendeyi (then S. hendeyi): not mentioned. E. africanus (then S. africanus): cast holotype housed at UF, pictures of holotype housed at BSPG., CC BY 4.0