Ursus etruscus

Ursus etruscus, the Etruscan bear, is an extinct bear species that was native 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

Ursus etruscus Temporal range: Early Pleistocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Fossils
Scientific classification
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 originated 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 has been recovered in Palestine, Greece,^[3] Croatia, and Tuscany, Italy.^[4]

Some scientists have proposed that the early, smaller variety of U. etruscus from the middle Villafranchian era is the ancestor of the modern Asian black bear.^[5]

Morphology

Similar in size to the brown bears of Europe, it had a full complement of premolars, a trait inherited from the genus Ursavus.

Ecology

Like modern brown bears, Ursus etruscus was likely omnivorous,^[6] with some populations possibly relying heavily on 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]