(Click Photos to Enlarge)
Name: Castoroides ohioensis
Geologic Age: Pleistocene
Stratigraphic detail: River
Find
Location: Levy
Co., Florida
Comments:
Castoroides ohioensis was the Giant Beaver of
the Pleistocene, ranging from just beneath the Arctic Circle to Florida. It
was about the size
and weight of a black bear, 7 feet long and up to 450 lb. It became extinct
along with most of the rest of the Pleistocene megafauna 10,000 years ago.
See
http://www.beringia.com/02/02maina6.html. Also interesting is
the view of Native Americans who encountered the Giant Beaver and their
legends that have been passed down through the millennia through their oral
traditions:
http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/conn.river/nalegend.html. The
Giant Beaver was in most regards similar to the modern beaver, Castor
canadensis, except for the vertical ridges on its incisors and a narrower
tail. It was probably less mobile than the modern beaver as well. It is
thought to have lived in swampy areas adjacent to lakes. It seems to have
been most prolific in the states just south of the Great Lakes during the
Ice Age.
Although isolated teeth are occasionally found, skull material is extremely
rare. Perhaps less than 10 skulls are in private collections, most being
inferior to this fine specimen. Most reside in public museums, never to be
seen on the market. This skull is 13 1/2" long and 9 inches wide and was
found in Levy Co., Florida. There is
about 10% - 15% superbly performed restoration. The upper incisors are original
to the skull. The lower jaws and other teeth have been composited. You will
see dozens of Smilodon skulls on the market before you see another one of
these! Total numbers found are less than a tenth of the number of LaBrea
Smilodon skulls found. Visually, this is as impressive as a Smilodon
skull. It comes with a curly maple base. Admittedly this is a high end
piece, but this will likely become the centerpiece of any collection.
World Class Giant Beaver Skull
