Leithia is an extinct genus of giant dormice from the Pleistocene of the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Sicily. It is considered an example of island gigantism. Leithia melitensis is the largest known species of dormouse, living or extinct, being twice the size of any other known species.
Leithia
Temporal range: Early Pleistocene–Late Pleistocene
The species were first named by Andrew Leith Adams in 1863 from remains found in caves in Malta and were assigned to the living genus Myoxus.[2]Leithia was proposed in 1896 by Richard Lydekker as a new genus, suggesting an arrangement currently recognised as the subfamily Leithiinae; the names honour Leith Adams.[1][3] Two species of Leithia, namely Leithia melitensis and the smaller L. cartei, lived in Sicily and Malta.[4]
Descriptionedit
Digital composite of a complete skull of Leithia melitensis
The skull of Leithia melitensis reached a length of approximately 7 centimetres (2.8 in), roughly twice the length of that of the garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus).[5]L. melitensis reached a total size comparable to a cat[6] or a rabbit,[7] with an estimated body mass of approximately 1 kilogram (2.2 lb).[8] Compared to Eliomys, the skull morphology of L. melitensis is much more robust, particularly the zygomatic region (indicating the presence of large masseter muscles in life) and the pterygoid flange. The rostrum of L. melitensis relatively short, and the molar teeth are proportionally enlarged relative to Eliomys.[5] The mandible of L. melitensis is also extremely robust.[9]
Ecologyedit
The teeth of Leithia melitensis exhibit a variable amount of wear, indicating an abrasive, and probably largely herbivorous diet,[9] with the lower jaw exhibiting greater adaption to chewing rather than gnawing.[10]Leithia was likely predated upon by large birds of prey native to the islands, such as the endemic large barn-owlTyto mourerchauvireae.[5]
Evolutionary historyedit
The closest living relative of Leithia is assumed to be Eliomys, based on morphological similarities.[5] Remains tentively referred to Leithia are known from the Early Pleistocene (late Villafranchian) "Monte Pellegrino" faunal complex.[11][12] However, other authors have suggested that this taxon is instead more closely related to the genus Maltamys, also endemic to Sicily and Malta.[13] It has been suggested by some that the ancestors Leithia arrived in Sicily during the Late Miocene (Messinian) or Pliocene, but this is not preserved in the fossil record.[11][12] For most of the Middle Pleistocene during the "Elephas falconeri" faunal complex, Leithia was one of a small number of mammal species present on Sicily and Malta, alongside the dwarf elephant Palaeoloxodon falconeri, the large dormouse Maltamys, a shrew belonging to the genus Crocidura, and an otter. During the late Middle Pleistocene a faunal turnover event occurred, caused by the uplift of Calabria and Sicily resulting in a closer connection with the Italian mainland, which during episodes of low sea level allowed some large animals from the mainland fauna of Italy to invade Sicily. Leithia persisted alongside the new arrivals for some time as demonstrated by their co-occurrence in deposits assigned to the “Elephas mnaidriensis” faunal complex, but apparently became extinct sometime before the end of the Pleistocene, prior the deposition of deposits assigned to the “Grotta S. Teodoro Pianetti” faunal complex.[11][12]
Hypnomys a genus of giant dormice known from the Balearic Islands
Referencesedit
^ abLydekker, Richard (1895). "On the affinities of the so called extinct giant dormouse of Malta". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London: 860–863.
^ abAdams, A. L. (1863), ‘Observations on the Fossiliferous caves of Malta’. Journal of the Royal Society,4 .2. pp.11–19.
^Wilson, Don E.; Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 12. JHU Press. p. 829.
^Petronio, C. (1970). (PDF). Geol. Rom. IX: 149–194. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-06-29. (in Italian)
^ abcdHennekam, Jesse J.; Herridge, Victoria L.; Costeur, Loïc; Patti, Carolina Di; Cox, Philip G. (2020-07-03). "Virtual Cranial Reconstruction of the Endemic Gigantic Dormouse Leithia melitensis (Rodentia, Gliridae) from Poggio Schinaldo, Sicily". Open Quaternary. 6 (1): 7. doi:10.5334/oq.79. ISSN 2055-298X. S2CID 221868671.
^"Giant dormice the size of cats used to live on Sicily". www.nhm.ac.uk. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
^Guglielmo, M.; Marra, A.C. Le due Sicilie del Pleistocene Medio: osservazioni paleogeografiche. [in Italian]. Biogeographia2011, 30, 11–25.
^van den Hoek Ostende, Lars W.; van der Geer, Alexandra A.E.; Wijngaarden, Carlijne L. (July 2017). "Why are there no giants at the dwarves feet? Insular micromammals in the eastern Mediterranean". Quaternary International. 445: 269–278. Bibcode:2017QuInt.445..269V. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2016.05.007.
^ abHennekam, Jesse J.; Benson, Roger B. J.; Herridge, Victoria L.; Jeffery, Nathan; Torres-Roig, Enric; Alcover, Josep Antoni; Cox, Philip G. (2020-11-11). "Morphological divergence in giant fossil dormice". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 287 (1938): 20202085. doi:10.1098/rspb.2020.2085. ISSN 0962-8452. PMC7735280. PMID 33143584.
^Hennekam, Jesse J; Herridge, Victoria L; Cox, Philip G (2023-06-01). "Feeding biomechanics reveals niche differentiation related to insular gigantism". Evolution. 77 (6): 1303–1314. doi:10.1093/evolut/qpad041. ISSN 0014-3820. PMID 36881990.
^ abcBonfiglio, L., Marra, A. C., Masini, F., Pavia, M., & Petruso, D. (2002). Pleistocene faunas of Sicily: a review. In W. H. Waldren, & J. A. Ensenyat (Eds.), World islands in prehistory: international insular investigations. British Archaeological Reports, International Series, 1095, 428–436.
^Petruso, D. 2004. New data on Pleistocene endemic Sicilian-Maltese dormice (Gliridae, Mammalia). 18th International Senckenberg Conference, VI International Palaeontological Colloquium in Weimar, 205–206.
January 01, 1970
leithia, extinct, genus, giant, dormice, from, pleistocene, mediterranean, islands, malta, sicily, considered, example, island, gigantism, melitensis, largest, known, species, dormouse, living, extinct, being, twice, size, other, known, species, temporal, rang. Leithia is an extinct genus of giant dormice from the Pleistocene of the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Sicily It is considered an example of island gigantism Leithia melitensis is the largest known species of dormouse living or extinct being twice the size of any other known species LeithiaTemporal range Early Pleistocene Late Pleistocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Skeleton of Lethia melitensis Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Order Rodentia Family Gliridae Subfamily Leithiinae Genus LeithiaLydekker 1896 1 Type species Myoxus melitensisAdams 1863 2 species Leithia melitensis Adams 1863 Leithia cartei Adams 1863 Contents 1 Discovery and taxonomy 2 Description 3 Ecology 4 Evolutionary history 5 See also 6 ReferencesDiscovery and taxonomy editThe species were first named by Andrew Leith Adams in 1863 from remains found in caves in Malta and were assigned to the living genus Myoxus 2 Leithia was proposed in 1896 by Richard Lydekker as a new genus suggesting an arrangement currently recognised as the subfamily Leithiinae the names honour Leith Adams 1 3 Two species of Leithia namely Leithia melitensis and the smaller L cartei lived in Sicily and Malta 4 Description edit nbsp Digital composite of a complete skull of Leithia melitensisThe skull of Leithia melitensis reached a length of approximately 7 centimetres 2 8 in roughly twice the length of that of the garden dormouse Eliomys quercinus 5 L melitensis reached a total size comparable to a cat 6 or a rabbit 7 with an estimated body mass of approximately 1 kilogram 2 2 lb 8 Compared to Eliomys the skull morphology of L melitensis is much more robust particularly the zygomatic region indicating the presence of large masseter muscles in life and the pterygoid flange The rostrum of L melitensis relatively short and the molar teeth are proportionally enlarged relative to Eliomys 5 The mandible of L melitensis is also extremely robust 9 Ecology editThe teeth of Leithia melitensis exhibit a variable amount of wear indicating an abrasive and probably largely herbivorous diet 9 with the lower jaw exhibiting greater adaption to chewing rather than gnawing 10 Leithia was likely predated upon by large birds of prey native to the islands such as the endemic large barn owl Tyto mourerchauvireae 5 Evolutionary history editThe closest living relative of Leithia is assumed to be Eliomys based on morphological similarities 5 Remains tentively referred to Leithia are known from the Early Pleistocene late Villafranchian Monte Pellegrino faunal complex 11 12 However other authors have suggested that this taxon is instead more closely related to the genus Maltamys also endemic to Sicily and Malta 13 It has been suggested by some that the ancestors Leithia arrived in Sicily during the Late Miocene Messinian or Pliocene but this is not preserved in the fossil record 11 12 For most of the Middle Pleistocene during the Elephas falconeri faunal complex Leithia was one of a small number of mammal species present on Sicily and Malta alongside the dwarf elephant Palaeoloxodon falconeri the large dormouse Maltamys a shrew belonging to the genus Crocidura and an otter During the late Middle Pleistocene a faunal turnover event occurred caused by the uplift of Calabria and Sicily resulting in a closer connection with the Italian mainland which during episodes of low sea level allowed some large animals from the mainland fauna of Italy to invade Sicily Leithia persisted alongside the new arrivals for some time as demonstrated by their co occurrence in deposits assigned to the Elephas mnaidriensis faunal complex but apparently became extinct sometime before the end of the Pleistocene prior the deposition of deposits assigned to the Grotta S Teodoro Pianetti faunal complex 11 12 See also editList of extinct animals of Europe Hypnomys a genus of giant dormice known from the Balearic IslandsReferences edit a b Lydekker Richard 1895 On the affinities of the so called extinct giant dormouse of Malta Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 860 863 a b Adams A L 1863 Observations on the Fossiliferous caves of Malta Journal of the Royal Society 4 2 pp 11 19 Wilson Don E Reeder DeeAnn M eds 2005 Mammal Species of the World A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference Volume 12 JHU Press p 829 Petronio C 1970 I Roditori Pleistocenici della Grotta di Spinagallo Siracusa PDF Geol Rom IX 149 194 Archived from the original PDF on 2016 03 04 Retrieved 2014 06 29 in Italian a b c d Hennekam Jesse J Herridge Victoria L Costeur Loic Patti Carolina Di Cox Philip G 2020 07 03 Virtual Cranial Reconstruction of the Endemic Gigantic Dormouse Leithia melitensis Rodentia Gliridae from Poggio Schinaldo Sicily Open Quaternary 6 1 7 doi 10 5334 oq 79 ISSN 2055 298X S2CID 221868671 Giant dormice the size of cats used to live on Sicily www nhm ac uk Retrieved 2023 02 17 Guglielmo M Marra A C Le due Sicilie del Pleistocene Medio osservazioni paleogeografiche in Italian Biogeographia 2011 30 11 25 van den Hoek Ostende Lars W van der Geer Alexandra A E Wijngaarden Carlijne L July 2017 Why are there no giants at the dwarves feet Insular micromammals in the eastern Mediterranean Quaternary International 445 269 278 Bibcode 2017QuInt 445 269V doi 10 1016 j quaint 2016 05 007 a b Hennekam Jesse J Benson Roger B J Herridge Victoria L Jeffery Nathan Torres Roig Enric Alcover Josep Antoni Cox Philip G 2020 11 11 Morphological divergence in giant fossil dormice Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences 287 1938 20202085 doi 10 1098 rspb 2020 2085 ISSN 0962 8452 PMC 7735280 PMID 33143584 Hennekam Jesse J Herridge Victoria L Cox Philip G 2023 06 01 Feeding biomechanics reveals niche differentiation related to insular gigantism Evolution 77 6 1303 1314 doi 10 1093 evolut qpad041 ISSN 0014 3820 PMID 36881990 a b c Bonfiglio Laura Mangano Gabriella Marra Antonella Cinzia Masini Federico Pavia Marco Petruso Daria December 2002 Pleistocene Calabrian and Sicilian bioprovinces Geobios 35 29 39 Bibcode 2002Geobi 35 29B doi 10 1016 S0016 6995 02 00046 3 hdl 2318 89144 a b c Bonfiglio L Marra A C Masini F Pavia M amp Petruso D 2002 Pleistocene faunas of Sicily a review In W H Waldren amp J A Ensenyat Eds World islands in prehistory international insular investigations British Archaeological Reports International Series 1095 428 436 Petruso D 2004 New data on Pleistocene endemic Sicilian Maltese dormice Gliridae Mammalia 18th International Senckenberg Conference VI International Palaeontological Colloquium in Weimar 205 206 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leithia amp oldid 1202426929, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
