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M. Masseti: Homogenisation and the loss of biodiversity of mammals of the Mediterranean islands 177

Figure 12 The ocothonid rat-like hare, Prolagus sardus Wagner exception, since in view of their specialised eating habits
1829, was an endemic mammal of Corsica and Sardinia which they cannot be considered as genuine mammal preda-
survived up to historical times (photo: Marco Masseti, courtesy tors (Burgio and Fiore 1988, Schu¨ le 1993, Masseti 1995).
of the Naturhistorisches Museum of Basel). The endemic otters described to date from the Pleisto-
cene of the Mediterranean islands are indicated in Table
site of Aghia Napa have, however, provided new remains 1.
of skull and skeleton of the species (Theodorou et al.
2007a). Its dental morphology reveals adaptation While it is true that there were no carnivores of large
towards a more carnivorous diet in comparison to the dimensions on Mediterranean islands of the Late Pleis-
extant G. genetta. The co-occurrence of G. plesictoides tocene-Holocene, the same cannot be said of the birds
with the Cypriot dwarf hippo in the same archaeological of prey. Golden eagles, Aquila chrysae¨ tos L. 1758, Bonel-
site dates to between 13,500 and 11,000 years BP (G.E. li’s eagles, Hieraae¨ tus facsiatus Viellot 1822, and eagle
Theodorou 2008, personal communication). owls, Bubo bubo (L. 1758), must have been, then as now,
the most widespread raptors of large dimensions. They
A few other carnivores of possible endemic taxonomic prey on small and medium-sized mammals, such as rab-
status have been provided by paleontological explora- bits, Oryctolagus cuniculus (L. 1758), hares, Lepus sp,
tion, such as an undetermined Mustela sp. quoted and even subadult wild goats, Capra aegagrus Erxleben
amongst the Pleistocene fauna of Pianosa, in the north- 1777, and mouflons, Ovis orientalis Gmelin 1774. The
ern Tyrrhenian sea (Gastaldi 1866, Rutimeyer 1866, island skies were also inhabited by other birds of prey,
Simonelli 1889, Forsyth Major 1882, Stehlin 1928, De which have now vanished from most of the Mediterra-
Giuli 1970, Azzaroli 1978). Furthermore, Enhydrictis galic- nean area. There was, for example, the white-tailed
toides Forsyth Major 1901, was a semi-aquatic or, more eagle, also known as sea eagle, Haliaetus albicilla (L.
probably, a land mustelid, possibly a polecat-like carni- 1758), a massive bird with a very broad wing-span, which
vore from the Middle Pleistocene of Sardinia (Ficcarelli feeds mainly on fish but without disdaining the occa-
and Torre 1967, Kurte´ n 1968, Azzaroli 1971). However, sional small mammal. This species is in fact regarded as
according to Willemsen (1992), the most common car- the super-predator of the Late Pleistocene Ibiza ecosys-
nivores of the endemic Mediterranean insular faunas are tem (Pytiusic islands, western Mediterranean) (Alcover et
the otters, which are adapted to an aquatic lifestyle and al. 2000). Several Pleistocene species of birds of prey
are found in many of the endemic island ecosystems. also displayed a type of gigantism, although the modifi-
Being the only carnivores compatible with the unbal- cation was not accompanied by loss of flight (cf. Azzaroli
anced island faunas, they effectively represent the 1982). Raptors of large size have been described from
the Balearics, from Malta and from Crete (cf. Mourer-
Chauvire´ et al. 1980). The Aquila chrysaetos simurgh
Weesie 1988, was, for example, a Cretan subspecies of
golden eagle, which on the basis of its known skeletal
elements appears to be osteologically closely related to
the western Palaearctic subspecies of A. chrysaetos (L.
1758), albeit larger. To date, this taxon is known only from
Crete (Weesie 1988). The Tyto balearica Mourer-Chauvire´ ,
Alcover, Moya and Pons 1980, was instead a giant barn
owl also dispersed in continental Spain and southern
France, which was originally described as endemic to the
Balearics (cf. Mourer-Chauvire´ and Sanchez Marco
1988). The endemic Cretan owl Athene cretensis Weesie
1982 (Weesie 1982, 1988) differed from its putative main-
land ancestor, the little owl, A. noctua Scopoli 1769, in a

Table 1 Endemic otter thus far been described from the Pleistocene of the Mediterranean islands.

Species Island Stratigraphic occurrence References
Corsica Late Pleistocene
Algarolutra majori Sardinia Malatesta 1978, Helbing 1935,
(Malatesta 1978) Sardinia Probably Upper Malatesta 1970, 1978, Willemsen 1992
Sardolutra ichnusae Sardinia Pleistocene or Holocene Malatesta 1977, Willemsen 1992
(Malatesta 1977) Sicily Late Pleistocene
Algarolutra majori Malta Helbing 1935, Malatesta 1970, 1978,
(Malatesta 1978) Crete Presumably Late Willemsen 1992
Megalenhydris barbaricina Pleistocene or Holocene Malatesta 1977, 1978, Sondaar 1978,
(Willemsen and Malatesta 1987) Middle or Late Pleistocene Willemsen and Malatesta 1987, Willemsen 1992
Lutra trinacriae Esu et al. 1986, Pennacchioni and Cassola 1986
(Burgio and Fiore 1988) Pleistocene Burgio and Fiore 1988, Willemsen 1992
Lutra euxena (Bate 1935) Bate 1935, Thenius 1951, Thenius 1962,
Late Pleistocene Kurte´ n 1968, Esu et al. 1986, Willemsen 1992
Lutrogale cretensis Symeonidis and Sondaar 1975, Sondaar 1977,
(Symeonidis and Sondaar 1975) Willemsen 1980, 1992