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    New large species of Cryptoprocta (Carnivora, Eupleridae) and new specimens of C. Spelea from the Holocene of Tsimanampesotse National Park, southwest Madagascar


    Lewis, Margaret E., Klukkert, Zachary S., Scroxton, Nick, Burns, Stephen J., Crowley, Brooke E., McGee, David, Muldoon, Kathleen M., Borths, Matthew, Meador, Lindsay R., Lehman, Phillip, Widmann, Patrick, Rahantaharivao, Noromamy J., Ranivoharimanana, Lovasoa and Godfrey, Laurie R. (2026) New large species of Cryptoprocta (Carnivora, Eupleridae) and new specimens of C. Spelea from the Holocene of Tsimanampesotse National Park, southwest Madagascar. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology: e8698802. pp. 1-24. ISSN 0272-4634

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    Abstract

    Among the extant endemic carnivorans of Madagascar (family Eupleridae), the largest species is the fosa,Cryptoprocta ferox. A larger species, Cryptoprocta spelea, survived into the Late Holocene. Here, we report the discovery ofa morphologically distinct partial humerus from Mitoho in Tsimanampesotse National Park, southwestern Madagascar,belonging to a larger extinct form of Cryptoprocta that existed prior to 8.3 ka. We review the history of the genus, describethis new taxon, and briefly describe the flooded cave system where it was found. We reconstruct body size for Cryptoproctasubfossils from Mitoho and other sites and document geographic variation in C. spelea across Madagascar. While the MitohoC. spelea specimens are larger than those found elsewhere, the newly described humerus is even larger and cannot beattributed to a male C. spelea. Functional analyses suggest all species of Cryptoprocta, irrespective of body size, had arborealadaptations and that the new species had enhanced strength associated with climbing or prey capture. Subfossils of all threespecies were found on the same submerged ledge at Mitoho, raising the possibility of sympatry in southwestern Madagascar.Regional stable carbon isotope analyses indicate that C. spelea preyed upon larger lemurs than those typically targeted byextant C. ferox. Body size and morphology suggest the new species targeted even larger prey. Collectively, these findingssuggest that the Holocene Malagasy carnivoran guild exploited substantially larger lemur prey than do living euplerids,consistent with carnivore damage documented on remains of some of Madagascar’s largest extinct lemurs.
    Item Type: Article
    Additional Information: This research could not have been completed without the support of Madagascar National Parks (MNP); our collaborative research embraces and promotes their mission to conserve the remaining biota and to advance the education of local people as well as tourists through visits to the national parks. In particular, we thank former directors of MNP, G.S. Ramangason and M. Rakotoarijaona (both now deceased), for facilitating our research. We thank our dive team which comprised (in addition to co-authors ZSK, PL, and PW) members of the Dominican Republic Speleological Society and Madagascar Cave Diving Association and others: R. Dart, V. Alexandrova, H. Kaspersetz, K. Davidson, M. Bordignon, B. Coleman, C. Pittaro, P. Donaggio Bitner, A. Coffield-Feith, J. De La Puerta Salazar, J. Bulman, and E. Smith. All fossil specimens from Mitoho were collected in 2016, 2018, and 2019 under a convention with Madagascar National Parks and collaborative accord between the UM and the UABEC. The fossils collected during this mission are housed at the UABEC. We thank the curators and collections managers in the mammalogy and zoology departments of the following institutions for access to osteological specimens: AMNH, BMNH, FMNH, KNM, NMNH, NRM, and UA. We also thank M.R. Lague for comments on the manuscript, C. Borgerson and P. Faina for help with the Malagasy language, and Z. Lague for German translation services. We thank the anonymous reviewers and the editors handling this manuscript. This is Duke Lemur Center 1663. Field research in Madagascar was supported by NSF RAPID grants (BCS 1446959 and BCS 1548223 to Alfred L. Rosenberger), a grant from the National Geographic Society (9571-14, awarded to Alfred L. Rosenberger, KMM, LRG, and the late Gregg F. Gunnell), NSF BCS 1750598 awarded to LRG and SJB, NSF AGS 1702891 awarded to SJB, and NSF EAR-1439559 awarded to DM. Data collection on extant comparative material was supported by NSF (DBS-9222721), Sigma Xi, and Stockton University Distinguished Faculty Fellowships to MEL. Additional analytical work (including isotope analysis and taphonomic research) was supported by grants NSF BCS 1749676 to BEC, NSF BCS 1749211 to KMM, and the Paleontological Association, the University of Massachusetts (UM) Department of Anthropology and Natural History Collections Committee to LRM
    Keywords: New large species; Cryptoprocta; Carnivora Eupleridae; new specimens; C. Spelea; Holocene; Tsimanampesotse National Park; Madagascar;
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Social Sciences > Geography
    Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Institutes > Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units, ICARUS
    Item ID: 21819
    Identification Number: 10.1080/02724634.2026.2698802
    Depositing User: ICARUS Geography
    Date Deposited: 25 Aug 2026 15:16
    Journal or Publication Title: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
    Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group on behalf of The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
    Refereed: Yes
    Related URLs:
    Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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