Castoroides, the giant beaver, enters the LRT
With the interrelationship
of beavers (Castor) and manatees recently recovered by the large reptile tree (LRT, 2330 taxa) it seemed natural to add Castoroides, the giant beaver (Figs 1–3, Foster 1838), to the matrix.
Actually the giant beaver is only about twice as long as the largest living beavers (Fig 3).
That’s big, but small compared to the recently recovered beaver descendants.
Figure 1. Skeletons of Castor, Castoroides and Moeritherium, not to scale.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides_skeleton-1.jpg?w=273″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides_skeleton-1.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-91065″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides_skeleton-1.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Skeletons of Castor, Castoroides and Moeritherium, not to scale. ” width=”584″ height=”643″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides_skeleton-1.jpg?w=584&h=643 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides_skeleton-1.jpg?w=136&h=150 136w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides_skeleton-1.jpg?w=273&h=300 273w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides_skeleton-1.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. Skeletons of Castor, Castoroides and Moeritherium, not to scale.
According to Wikipedia – Castoroides
“The hind feet of the giant beaver were much larger than in modern beavers, while the hind legs were shorter.” They could grow as large as 2.2 m (7.2 ft).
Shorter legs, as in Moeritherium.
Shorter tail, as in Moeritherium.
No chevrons, as in Moeritherium.
Reduced zygomatic arch, as in Moeritherium.
And then, there’s one more thing…
Figure 1. Castoroides skull compared to scale with Castor and Moeritherium.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides.skull588.jpg?w=160″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides.skull588.jpg?w=545″ class=”size-full wp-image-91054″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides.skull588.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Castoroides skull compared to scale with Castor and Moeritherium. ” width=”584″ height=”1096″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides.skull588.jpg?w=584&h=1096 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides.skull588.jpg?w=80&h=150 80w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides.skull588.jpg?w=160&h=300 160w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/castoroides.skull588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. Castoroides skull compared to scale with Castor and Moeritherium. Note the jugal shape.
Plint, Longstaffe and Zazula 1019 reported,
“We confirm that Castoroides consumed a diet of predominantly submerged aquatic macrophytes.” = water plants.
This happens to be the diet of manatees and dugongs = big sea beavers.
In the LRT
Castoroides nests between Castor and Moeritherium, ancestral to manatees and walking sea cows like Prorastomus (Fig 3).
Figure 1. Sea cows (manatees) and their LRT ancestors to scale, presented as skeletons.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/sirenian_tail_evolution588.jpg?w=198″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/sirenian_tail_evolution588.jpg?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-91066″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/sirenian_tail_evolution588.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Sea cows (manatees) and their LRT ancestors to scale, presented as skeletons.” width=”584″ height=”885″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/sirenian_tail_evolution588.jpg?w=584&h=885 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/sirenian_tail_evolution588.jpg?w=99&h=150 99w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/sirenian_tail_evolution588.jpg?w=198&h=300 198w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/sirenian_tail_evolution588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. Sea cows (manatees) and their LRT ancestors to scale, presented as skeletons.
Castoroides ohioensis
(Foster 1838, Pleistocene, up to 2m long) is the giant beaver of North America. The shorter fused sacrals, tail without chevrons, shorter legs and more gracile zygomatic arch = jugal, as in Moeritherium.
The larger swimming tail of sea cows developed either 1. later as a reversal, as fossils currently indicate (see Prorastomus, Fig 3) or 2. in parallel directly from Castor (for which fossils are currently waiting to be discovered).
References
Cahn A 1932. Records and distribution of the fossil beaver, Castoroides ohioensis. J. Mammal. 12, 229–241.
Foster JW 1838. Report of Mr. Foster. In W. W. Mather (ed.), Second annual report on the geological survey of the state of Ohio
Plint T, Longstaffe FJ and Zazula G 2019. Giant beaver palaeoecology inferred from stable isotopes. Sci Rep 9, 7179 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43710-9
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/01/12/castoroides-the-giant-beaver-enters-the-lrt/
Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world. Anyone can join. Anyone can contribute. Anyone can become informed about their world. "United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
LION'S MANE PRODUCT
Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules
Mushrooms are having a moment. One fabulous fungus in particular, lion’s mane, may help improve memory, depression and anxiety symptoms. They are also an excellent source of nutrients that show promise as a therapy for dementia, and other neurodegenerative diseases. If you’re living with anxiety or depression, you may be curious about all the therapy options out there — including the natural ones.Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend has been formulated to utilize the potency of Lion’s mane but also include the benefits of four other Highly Beneficial Mushrooms. Synergistically, they work together to Build your health through improving cognitive function and immunity regardless of your age. Our Nootropic not only improves your Cognitive Function and Activates your Immune System, but it benefits growth of Essential Gut Flora, further enhancing your Vitality.
Our Formula includes: Lion’s Mane Mushrooms which Increase Brain Power through nerve growth, lessen anxiety, reduce depression, and improve concentration. Its an excellent adaptogen, promotes sleep and improves immunity. Shiitake Mushrooms which Fight cancer cells and infectious disease, boost the immune system, promotes brain function, and serves as a source of B vitamins. Maitake Mushrooms which regulate blood sugar levels of diabetics, reduce hypertension and boosts the immune system. Reishi Mushrooms which Fight inflammation, liver disease, fatigue, tumor growth and cancer. They Improve skin disorders and soothes digestive problems, stomach ulcers and leaky gut syndrome. Chaga Mushrooms which have anti-aging effects, boost immune function, improve stamina and athletic performance, even act as a natural aphrodisiac, fighting diabetes and improving liver function. Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules Today. Be 100% Satisfied or Receive a Full Money Back Guarantee. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.
| Online: | |
| Visits: | 1,667,084,087 |
| Stories: | 8,324,723 |
Whistler Blowers, Insiders
