Hippopotamus creutzburgi, the Cretan dwarf hippopotamus, is an extinct species of hippopotamus from the island of Crete. It lived on the island from the Early Pleistocene to early Middle Pleistocene, and probably descended from Hippopotamus antiquus. It was considerably smaller than H. antiquus, weighing approximately 400 kilograms. It was one of only two large herbivores on the island during its existence, alongside Mammuthus creticus, with large predators being absent.[2] It is characteristic of the Kritimysbiozone.[3] It is known from abundant remains collected from the Katharo basin in the eastern uplands of Crete, approximately 1100-1200 metres above sea level, as well as much rarer remains found in coastal caves.[3] Analysis of its limbs suggests that it was more adapted to terrestrial locomotion than living hippopotamus, primarily walking on its hooves rather than its footpads as in living hippopotamus, and capable of traversing the rugged terrain of Crete. Analysis of its teeth suggests that it had a grazing diet, similar to modern Hippopotamus amphibius.[2] The previous suggestion that the species can be divided into two subspecies is not supported by modern research.[3]
The first remains of the species were described in 1845 by Richard Owen. They were subsequently subject to a long and convoluted taxonomic history,[4] before the species name H. creutzburgi was coined by Boekschoten & Sondaar in 1966.[5]
^Kuss, S.E., (1975): Hippopotamus creutzburgi parvus n. ssp., ein pleistozänes Zwergflusspferd von der Insel Kreta. Ber. Naturf. Ges. Freiburg i. Br. 65:5-23
^ abBethune, Elehna; Kaiser, Thomas M.; Schulz-Kornas, Ellen; Winkler, Daniela E. (November 2019). "Multiproxy dietary trait reconstruction in Pleistocene Hippopotamidae from the Mediterranean islands". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 533: 109210. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2019.05.032.
^ abc"Crete", Evolution of Island Mammals, Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 43–61, 2010-08-03, doi:10.1002/9781444323986.ch5, ISBN978-1-4443-2398-6, retrieved 2023-02-19
^Lyras, George A.; Athanassiou, Athanassios; van der Geer, Alexandra A. E. (2022), Vlachos, Evangelos (ed.), "The Fossil Record of Insular Endemic Mammals from Greece", Fossil Vertebrates of Greece Vol. 2, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 661–701, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-68442-6_25, ISBN978-3-030-68441-9, retrieved 2023-02-19
^Boekschoten, G.J. & Sondaar, P.Y. (1966): The Pleistocene of the Katharo basin (Crete) and its Hippopotamus. Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde 36: 17-44.
hippopotamus, creutzburgi, cretan, dwarf, hippopotamus, extinct, species, hippopotamus, from, island, crete, lived, island, from, early, pleistocene, early, middle, pleistocene, probably, descended, from, hippopotamus, antiquus, considerably, smaller, than, an. Hippopotamus creutzburgi the Cretan dwarf hippopotamus is an extinct species of hippopotamus from the island of Crete It lived on the island from the Early Pleistocene to early Middle Pleistocene and probably descended from Hippopotamus antiquus It was considerably smaller than H antiquus weighing approximately 400 kilograms It was one of only two large herbivores on the island during its existence alongside Mammuthus creticus with large predators being absent 2 It is characteristic of the Kritimys biozone 3 It is known from abundant remains collected from the Katharo basin in the eastern uplands of Crete approximately 1100 1200 metres above sea level as well as much rarer remains found in coastal caves 3 Analysis of its limbs suggests that it was more adapted to terrestrial locomotion than living hippopotamus primarily walking on its hooves rather than its footpads as in living hippopotamus and capable of traversing the rugged terrain of Crete Analysis of its teeth suggests that it had a grazing diet similar to modern Hippopotamus amphibius 2 The previous suggestion that the species can be divided into two subspecies is not supported by modern research 3 Cretan dwarf hippopotamusTemporal range Pleistocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Scientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder ArtiodactylaFamily HippopotamidaeGenus HippopotamusSpecies H creutzburgiBinomial name Hippopotamus creutzburgiBoekschoten amp Sondaar 1966SubspeciesH c creutzburgi H c parvus 1 The first remains of the species were described in 1845 by Richard Owen They were subsequently subject to a long and convoluted taxonomic history 4 before the species name H creutzburgi was coined by Boekschoten amp Sondaar in 1966 5 See also EditCyprus dwarf hippopotamus Hippopotamus melitensis Hippopotamus pentlandiReferences Edit Kuss S E 1975 Hippopotamus creutzburgi parvus n ssp ein pleistozanes Zwergflusspferd von der Insel Kreta Ber Naturf Ges Freiburg i Br 65 5 23 a b Bethune Elehna Kaiser Thomas M Schulz Kornas Ellen Winkler Daniela E November 2019 Multiproxy dietary trait reconstruction in Pleistocene Hippopotamidae from the Mediterranean islands Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology 533 109210 doi 10 1016 j palaeo 2019 05 032 a b c Crete Evolution of Island Mammals Oxford UK Wiley Blackwell pp 43 61 2010 08 03 doi 10 1002 9781444323986 ch5 ISBN 978 1 4443 2398 6 retrieved 2023 02 19 Lyras George A Athanassiou Athanassios van der Geer Alexandra A E 2022 Vlachos Evangelos ed The Fossil Record of Insular Endemic Mammals from Greece Fossil Vertebrates of Greece Vol 2 Cham Springer International Publishing pp 661 701 doi 10 1007 978 3 030 68442 6 25 ISBN 978 3 030 68441 9 retrieved 2023 02 19 Boekschoten G J amp Sondaar P Y 1966 The Pleistocene of the Katharo basin Crete and its Hippopotamus Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde 36 17 44 This prehistoric even toed ungulate related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hippopotamus creutzburgi amp oldid 1141740258, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
