''Enhydra macrodonta'', the large-toothed sea otter, is an extinct mustelid known from the middle

Pleistocene The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the '' Ice age'') is the geological epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was finally confirmed ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

Description

The large-toothed sea otter is a close relative of the living

sea otter The sea otter (''Enhydra lutris'') is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the sma ...

. As its name implies, it is distinguishable from the modern sea otter by its larger, more robust teeth. Fossils of the large-toothed sea otter are dated to between 700 and 500 ka.

References

Otters Prehistoric mustelids Pleistocene carnivorans Prehistoric mammals of North America Pleistocene mammals of North America Mustelidae Pleistocene extinctions {{Mustelidae-stub