Cryptoprocta spelea

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Cryptoprocta spelea
Temporal range: Holocene
Fossa de les cavernes.png
Status iucn3.1 EX.svg
Extinct  (pre 1658)  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Eupleridae
Genus: Cryptoprocta
Species:
†C. spelea
Binomial name
†Cryptoprocta spelea
Cryptoprocta subfossil range map.svg
Subfossil sites for Cryptoprocta species: blue—C. spelea; green—C. ferox and C. spelea; red—C. ferox [2]
Synonyms [3]
  • Cryptoprocta ferox var. speleaG. Grandidier, 1902
  • Cryptoprocta spelea: Petit, 1935
  • Cryptoprocta antambaLamberton, 1939

Cryptoprocta spelea, also known as the giant fossa, [4] is an extinct species of carnivore from Madagascar in the family Eupleridae which is most closely related to the mongooses and includes all Malagasy carnivorans.

Contents

It was first described in 1902, and in 1935 was recognized as a separate species from its closest relative, the living fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox). C. spelea was larger than the fossa, but otherwise similar. The two have not always been accepted as distinct species. When and how C. spelea became extinct is unknown; there is some anecdotal evidence, including reports of very large fossas, that there is more than one surviving species.

The species is known from subfossil bones found in a variety of caves in northern, western, southern, and central Madagascar. In some sites, it occurs with remains of C. ferox, but there is no evidence that the two lived in the same places at the same time. Living species of comparably sized, related carnivores in other regions manage to coexist, suggesting that the same may have happened with both C. spelea and C. ferox. C. spelea would have been able to prey on larger animals than its smaller relative could have, including the recently extinct giant lemurs.

Taxonomy

In 1902, Guillaume Grandidier described subfossil carnivoran remains from two caves on Madagascar as a larger "variety" of the living fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox), C. ferox var. spelea. G. Petit, writing in 1935, considered spelea to represent a distinct species. [3] Charles Lamberton reviewed subfossil and living Cryptoprocta in 1939 and agreed with Petit in recognizing 2 species, [5] naming this species from a specimen found at Ankazoabo Cave near the place Itampolo. The generic name translates to "hidden anus" referring to the fact that the anus is hidden by anal sacs in C. ferox. [6] The specific name spelea means "cave" and was given because of the location of its discovery. [7] However, Lamberton apparently had at most three skeletons of the living fossa, not nearly enough to capture the range of variation in that species, and some later authors did not separate C. spelea and C. ferox as species. [8]

Steven Goodman and colleagues, using larger samples, compiled another set of Cryptoprocta measurements that was published in a 2004 article. They found that some subfossil Cryptoprocta fell outside the range of variation of living C. ferox, and identified those as representing C. spelea. [9] Grandidier had not designated a type specimen for the species, and to maintain C. spelea as the name for the larger form of the fossa, Goodman and colleagues designated a specimen to serve as the type specimen (specifically, a neotype). [10]

Lamberton recognized a third species, Cryptoprocta antamba, on the basis of a mandible (lower jaw) with abnormally broad spacing between the condyloid processes at the back. [11] He also referred two femora (upper leg bones) and a tibia (lower leg bone) intermediate in size between C. spelea and C. ferox to this species. [12] The specific name refers to the "antamba", an animal allegedly from southern Madagascar described by Étienne de Flacourt in 1658 as a large, rare, leopard-like carnivore that eats men and calves and lives in remote mountainous areas; [13] it may have been the giant fossa. [14]

Goodman and colleagues could not locate Lamberton's material of Cryptoprocta antamba, but suggested that it was based on an abnormal C. spelea. [15] Together, the fossa and C. spelea form the genus Cryptoprocta within the family Eupleridae, which also includes the other Malagasy carnivorans—the falanouc, the fanalokas, and the Galidiinae. DNA sequence studies suggest that the Eupleridae form a single natural (monophyletic) group and are most closely related to the mongooses of Eurasia and mainland Africa. [16]

Description

The fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) is a smaller relative of C. spelea that still survives. Cryptoprocta Ferox.JPG
The fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) is a smaller relative of C. spelea that still survives.

Although some morphological differences between the two fossa species have been described, [17] these may be allometric (growth-related), and in their 1986 Mammalian Species account of the fossa, Michael Köhncke and Klaus Leonhardt wrote that the two were morphologically identical. [18] However, remains of C. spelea are larger than any living C. ferox.

Goodman and colleagues found that spelea were 1.07 to 1.32 times as large as in adult C. ferox, and postcranial measurements were 1.19 to 1.37 times as large. [9] The only specimen of C. spelea in which condylobasal length (a measure of total skull length) could be ascertained measured 153.4 mm (6.04 in), compared to a range of 114.5 to 133.3 mm (4.51 to 5.25 in) in adult C. ferox. Humerus (upper arm bone) length in twelve C. spelea is 122.7 to 146.8 mm (4.83 to 5.78 in), averaging 137.9 mm (5.43 in), compared to 108.5 to 127.5 mm (4.27 to 5.02 in), averaging 116.1 mm (4.57 in), in the extant fossa. [19] Body mass estimates for C. spelea range from 17 kg (37 lb) [20] to 20 kg (44 lb), [21] and it was among the largest carnivores of the island. [22] By comparison, adult C. ferox range from 5 kg (11 lb) to 10 kg (22 lb). [23]

Distribution and ecology

Collection sites [2]
Sitespe.fer.
Ankazoabo +
Antsirabe ++
Behova ++
Beloha ++
Belo sur Mer ++
Bemafandry +
Betioky +
Lakaton'ny akanga +
Lelia +
Manombo ++
Tsiandroina +
Tsiravé +
Abbreviations:
  • spe.: C. spelea
  • fer.: C. ferox

Subfossil remains of the giant fossa have been found in Holocene cave sites [3] from the northern end of Madagascar along the west coast to the far south, and in the central highlands. Some sites have yielded both C. spelea and smaller remains referable to the living species, C. ferox; however, lack of robust stratigraphic knowledge and no available radiocarbon dating on subfossil Cryptoprocta bones makes it uncertain whether the two species lived in the same region at the same time. [24] The size ratio between the two species is within the range of ratios seen between similar-sized living cats and mongooses found in the same areas, suggesting that the two species may have been able to occur together. [2]

With its large size and massive jaws and teeth, [25] C. spelea was a formidable, "puma-like" [26] predator, and in addition to smaller prey it may have eaten some of the big, now extinct subfossil lemurs that would have been too large for C. ferox. [27] No subfossil evidence has been found to definitively show that lemurs were its prey; this assumption is based on the diet of the smaller, extant species of fossa. [28] Other possible prey include tenrecs, smaller euplerids, and even young Malagasy hippopotamuses. [29]

Extinction

Why and when C. spelea went extinct is not known; it is possible that C. spelea went extinct before 1400. [30] C. spelea is on the IUCN Red List. [1]

Local people on Madagascar often recognize two forms of fossa, a larger fosa mainty (or "black Cryptoprocta") and a smaller fosa mena (or "reddish Cryptoprocta"). [31] There are also some anecdotal records of very large living fossas, such as a 2 m (7 ft), 30 kg (70 lb) fossa at Morondava. Goodman and colleagues suggested that further research may demonstrate that there is more than one species of fossa yet alive. [2]

C. spelea is the only extinct carnivoran mammal known from Madagascar; [7] recently extinct (non-carnivoran) Madagascan animals also include large lemurs, [15] elephant birds, and Malagasy hippopotamuses. [32]

The extinction of C. spelea may have changed predation dynamics on Madagascar.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fossa (animal)</span> Cat-like, carnivorous mammal endemic to Madagascar

The fossa is a slender, long-tailed, cat-like mammal that is endemic to Madagascar. It is a member of the carnivoran family Eupleridae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grandidier's mongoose</span> Species of carnivore

Grandidier's mongoose, also known as the giant-striped mongoose or Grandidier's vontsira, is a small carnivoran that lives only in a very small area of southwestern Madagascar, in areas of spiny forest vegetation. It is pale brown or grayish coloured, with eight wide, dark stripes on its back and sides. Grandidier's mongoose is larger than the related broad-striped Malagasy mongoose, G. fasciata, and its stripes are not as wide. The species is named after Alfred Grandidier.

<i>Plesiorycteropus</i> An extinct genus of eutherian mammals from Madagascar

Plesiorycteropus, also known as the bibymalagasy or Malagasy aardvark, is a recently extinct genus of mammals from Madagascar. Upon its description in 1895, it was classified with the aardvark, but more recent molecular evidence instead suggests that it is most closely related to the tenrecs. Two species are currently recognized, the larger P. madagascariensis and the smaller P. germainepetterae. They probably overlapped in distribution, as subfossil remains of both species have been found in the same site.

<i>Archaeoindris</i> Extinct giant lemur

Archaeoindris fontoynontii is an extinct giant lemur and the largest primate known to have evolved on Madagascar, comparable in size to a male gorilla. It belonged to a family of extinct lemurs known as "sloth lemurs" (Palaeopropithecidae) and, because of its extremely large size, it has been compared to the ground sloths that once roamed North and South America. It was most closely related to Palaeopropithecus, the second largest type of sloth lemur. Along with the other sloth lemurs, Archaeoindris was related to the living indri, sifakas, and woolly lemurs, as well as the recently extinct monkey lemurs (Archaeolemuridae). The genus, Archaeoindris, translates to "ancient indri-like lemur", even though it probably became extinct recently, around 350 BCE.

<i>Cryptoprocta</i> Genus of mammals

Cryptoprocta is a genus of carnivoran endemic to Madagascar. It contains the living fossa and its larger, recently extinct relative, the giant fossa. The fossas are the largest of Madagascar's mammalian carnivores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fauna of Madagascar</span> Native animals of Madagascar

The fauna of Madagascar is a part of the wildlife of Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eupleridae</span> Family of carnivores

Eupleridae is a family of carnivorans endemic to Madagascar and comprising 10 known living species in seven genera, commonly known as euplerids, Malagasy mongooses or Malagasy carnivorans. The best known species is the fossa, in the subfamily Euplerinae. All species of Euplerinae were formerly classified as viverrids, while all species in the subfamily Galidiinae were classified as herpestids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galidiinae</span> Subfamily of carnivores

Galidiinae is a subfamily of carnivorans that is restricted to Madagascar and includes six species classified into four genera. Together with the three other species of indigenous Malagasy carnivorans, including the fossa, they are currently classified in the family Eupleridae within the suborder Feliformia. Galidiinae are the smallest of the Malagasy carnivorans, generally weighing about 600 to 900 g. They are agile, short-legged animals with long, bushy ringed tails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater dwarf lemur</span> Species of lemur

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<i>Pachylemur</i> Extinct genus of lemurs

Pachylemur is an extinct, giant lemur most closely related to the ruffed lemurs of genus Varecia. Two species are known, Pachylemur insignis and Pachylemur jullyi, although there is some doubt as to whether or not they may actually be the same species. Pachylemur is sometimes referred to as the giant ruffed lemur, because although it and the living ruffed lemurs had similar teeth and skeletons, Pachylemur was more robust and as much as three to four times larger. DNA studies have confirmed a sister group relationship between these two types of lemur. Like living ruffed lemurs, Pachylemur specialized in eating fruit, and was therefore an important seed disperser, possibly for tree species with seeds too large for even ruffed lemurs to swallow. In the spiny thickets of southwestern Madagascar, they were also likely to have dispersed seeds evolved to attach to fur and be carried away. Unlike ruffed lemurs, the fore- and hindlimbs of Pachylemur were nearly the same length, and therefore it was likely to be a slow, deliberate climber. However, both used hindlimb suspension to reach fruit on small branches below them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Euplerinae</span> Subfamily of carnivores

Euplerinae, more commonly known as malagasy civets, is a subfamily of carnivorans that includes four species restricted to Madagascar. Together with the subfamily Galidiinae, which also only occurs on Madagascar, it forms the family Eupleridae. Members of this subfamily, which include the fossa, falanoucs and Malagasy civet, were placed in families like Felidae and Viverridae before genetic data indicated their consanguinity with other Madagascar carnivorans. Within the subfamily, the falanouc and Malagasy civet are more closely related to each other than to the fossa.

<i>Hadropithecus</i> Extinct genus of lemurs

Hadropithecus is a medium-sized, extinct genus of lemur, or strepsirrhine primate, from Madagascar that includes a single species, Hadropithecus stenognathus. Due to its rarity and lack of sufficient skeletal remains, it is one of the least understood of the extinct lemurs. Both it and Archaeolemur are collectively known as "monkey lemurs" or "baboon lemurs" due to body plans and dentition that suggest a terrestrial lifestyle and a diet similar to that of modern baboons. Hadropithecus had extended molars and a short, powerful jaw, suggesting that it was both a grazer and a seed predator.

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<i>Hypogeomys australis</i> An extinct rodent from central and southeastern Madagascar

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Subfossil lemur</span> Lemurs from Madagascar that are represented by recent (subfossil) remains

Subfossil lemurs are lemurs from Madagascar that are represented by recent (subfossil) remains dating from nearly 26,000 years ago to approximately 560 years ago. They include both extant and extinct species, although the term more frequently refers to the extinct giant lemurs. The diversity of subfossil lemur communities was greater than that of present-day lemur communities, ranging to as high as 20 or more species per location, compared with 10 to 12 species today. Extinct species are estimated to have ranged in size from slightly over 10 kg (22 lb) to roughly 160 kg (350 lb). Even the subfossil remains of living species are larger and more robust than the skeletal remains of modern specimens. The subfossil sites found around most of the island demonstrate that most giant lemurs had wide distributions and that ranges of living species have contracted significantly since the arrival of humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durrell's vontsira</span> Small species of carnivoran from Madagascar

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taxonomy of lemurs</span> Science of describing species and defining the evolutionary relationships between taxa of lemurs

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References

  1. 1 2 Hoffmann, M.; Hawkins, F. (2015). "Cryptoprocta spelea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2015: e.T136456A45221489. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T136456A45221489.en . Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Goodman et al., 2004, p. 141
  3. 1 2 3 Goodman et al., 2004, p. 130
  4. ↑ Alcover and McMinn, 1994, table 1
  5. ↑ Goodman et al., 2004, pp. 130–131
  6. ↑ Pocock, R.I. (1916). "On some of the external characters of Cryptoprocta". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 17 (102): 413–425. doi:10.1080/00222931608693806. ISSN   0374-5481.
  7. 1 2 Goodman et al., 2003, p. 1167
  8. ↑ Goodman et al., 2004, p. 131
  9. 1 2 Goodman et al., 2004, p. 136
  10. ↑ Goodman et al., 2004, pp. 136–137
  11. ↑ Lamberton, 1939, p. 191
  12. ↑ Lamberton, 1939, p. 193
  13. ↑ Goodman et al., 2003, p. 1169; 2004, p. 131
  14. ↑ Turvey, 2009, p. 34
  15. 1 2 Goodman et al., 2004, p. 137
  16. ↑ Garbutt, 2007, p. 208
  17. ↑ Lamberton, 1939, p. 182
  18. ↑ Köhncke and Leonhardt, 1986, p. 2
  19. ↑ Goodman et al., 2004, table 1
  20. ↑ Personal communication from R. Dewer in Burness et al., 2001, table 1
  21. ↑ Wroe et al., 2004, p. 297
  22. ↑ Burness et al., 2001, table 1
  23. ↑ Garbutt, 2007, p. 211
  24. ↑ Goodman et al., 2003, pp. 1167–1168; 2004, pp. 140–141
  25. ↑ Goodman et al., 2004, p. 138
  26. ↑ Goodman, 2003, quoted in Colquhoun, 2006, p. 148
  27. ↑ Goodman et al., 2004, pp. 138–140; Colquhoun, 2006, pp. 148, 156
  28. ↑ Goodman, 2003, p. 1227
  29. ↑ Alcover and McMinn, 1994, p. 14
  30. ↑ Goodman et al., 2004, p. 140
  31. ↑ Goodman et al., 2003, p. 1168; 2004, p. 141
  32. ↑ Burney et al., 2004, p. 25

Literature cited

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