| Siamogale melilutra | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Mustelidae |
| Subfamily: | Lutrinae |
| Genus: | †Siamogale |
| Species: | †S. melilutra |
| Binomial name | |
|
†Siamogale melilutra Wang, Grohé, Su, White, Ji, Kelley, You & Yang, 2017 |
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Siamogale melilutra is an extinct species of giant otter from the late Miocene from Yunnan province, China.
The skull reveals a combination of otter-like and badger-like cranial and dental characteristics. The new species belongs to the Lutrinae because of its possession of a large infraorbital canal and ventral expansion of the mastoid process, among other traits.Siamogale melilutra was about the size of a wolf and weighed as much as 50 kg (more than 100 pounds). This is two to three times larger than any modern otter species.