Ursus etruscus

The Etruscan bear (Ursus etruscus) is an extinct species of bear, endemic to Europe, Asia, and North Africa during the Early Pleistocene, living from approximately 2.2 million to around 1.4-1.2 million years ago.^[1]

Skull

Etruscan bear Temporal range: Early Pleistocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Fossils
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Ursidae
Genus:	Ursus
Species:	†U. etruscus
Binomial name
†Ursus etruscus Cuvier, 1823

Taxonomy

The Etruscan bear appears to have evolved from Ursus minimus and gave rise to the modern brown bear, Ursus arctos, and the extinct cave bear, Ursus spelaeus.^[2] The range of Etruscan bears was mostly limited to continental Europe, with specimens also recovered in the Great Steppe region of Eurasia. Fossil evidence for the Etruscan bear was recovered in Palestine, Greece,^[3] Croatia, and Tuscany, Italy.^[4]

Some scientists have proposed that the early, small variety of U. etruscus of the middle Villafranchian era survives in the form of the modern Asian black bear.^[5]

Morphology

Not unlike the brown bears of Europe in size, it had a full complement of premolars, a trait carried from the genus Ursavus.

Ecology

Ursus etruscus, like modern brown bears, is suggested to have been omnivorous,^[6] with the diet of some populations suggested to heavily include fish.^[7]

Fossil distribution

Sites and specimen ages:

• Vassiloudi, Macedonia Greece ~5.3–1.8 Ma.
• Obigarm, Tajikistan ~5.3–1.8 Ma.
• Ahl al Oughlam, Morocco ~3.6–1.8 Ma.
• Pardines, Auvergne, France ~2.5–1.8 Ma.
• Dmanisi, Georgia ~1.8–0.8 Ma.
• Mestas de Con, Cangas de Onis, Asturias, Spain ~1.8–0.1 Ma.^[8]
• Strmica, Croatia ~1.8–0.1 Ma.^[9]