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Enhydra Temporal range: 5–0 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓ Pliocene – Recent
Sea otter (Enhydra lutris)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Mustelidae
Subfamily:	Lutrinae
Genus:	Enhydra Fleming, 1828
Species
Enhydra lutris - Sea otter †Enhydra macrodonta †Enhydra reevei

Enhydra is a genus of mustelid that contains the sea otter and two extinct relatives. It is the only extant genus of the bunodont otters group, referring to otters with non-blade carnassials with rounded cusps.

Sea otters probably diverged from other otters during the Pliocene, approximately 5 mya. They probably arose from the closely related Enhydritherium, a bunodont otter endemic to North America during the late Miocene and early Pliocene epochs.

Enhydra reevei, the oldest known species, has its origins in the Atlantic, suggesting this may have been where sea otters originated. Fossil evidence indicates the Enhydra lineage became isolated in the North Pacific approximately 2 million years ago, giving rise to the now-extinct Enhydra macrodonta and the modern sea otter.

References

1. ^ "Enhydritherium terraenovae". Florida Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
2. ^ Davis, Randall W. (2019). Marine Mammals: Adaptations for an Aquatic Life. Springer International Publishing. p. 21. ISBN 9783319982809.

v t e Genera of red pandas, raccoons, skunks, mustelids and their extinct allies
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora
Musteloidea Musteloidea †Peignictis †Plesiogale Ailuridae Ailurinae Ailurus †Magerictis †Parailurus †Pristinailurus †Amphictinae Amphictis †Simocyoninae Actiocyon Alopecocyon Protursus Simocyon Mephitidae †Brachyprotoma Conepatus Mephitis Mydaus †Palaeomephitis †Promephitis Spilogale Procyonidae †Amphinasua †Angustictis †Arctonasua Bassaricyon Bassariscus †Bassaricynoides †Chapalmalania †Cyonasua †Edaphocyon Nasua Nasuella †Parahyaenodon †Paranasua †Parapotos †Probassariscus Procyon †Protoprocyon Potos †Tetraprothomo
Mustelidae Mustelidae †Acheronictis †Aragonictis †Arikarictis †Circamustela †Erokomellivora †Franconictis †Kenyalutra †Kinometaxia †Laphyctis †Luogale †Marcetia †Matanomictis †Melidellavus †Mellalictis †Mesomephitis †Miomustela †Namibictis †Oaxacagale †Palaeomeles †Paragale †Parataxidea †Perunium †Plesictis †Plesiogale †Plesiomeles †Prepoecilogale †Presictis †Promellivora †Proputorius †Pyctis †Sabadellictis †Semantor †Sinictis †Sivalictis †Skopelogale †Sonitictis †Taxodon †Trochotherium †Xenictis †Zorilla Guloninae †Canimartes Eira †Ferinestrix Gulo †Iberictis †Ischyrictis Martes Pekania †Plesiogulo †Plionictis †Sthenictis Helictidinae Melogale Ictonychinae †Brevimalictis †Cernictis †Eirictis †Enhydrictis Galictis Ictonyx †Lutravus Lyncodon †Martellictis †Negodiaetictis †Oriensictis †Pannonictis †Poecilictis Poecilogale †Sminthosinis †Stipanicicia †Trigonictis †Trochictis Vormela Lutrinae †Algarolutra Aonyx †Cyrnaonyx †Cyrnolutra †Djourabus Enhydra †Enhydriodon †Enhydritherium Hydrictis †Limnonyx Lontra Lutra †Lutraeximia †Lutrictis Lutrogale †Megalenhydris †Megencephalon †Melodon †Mionictis †Nesolutra †Paludolutra †Paralutra †Pelycictis Pteronura †Sardolutra †Satherium †Siamogale †Sivaonyx †Teruelictis †Torolutra †Tyrrhenolutra †Vishnuonyx †Leptarctinae Craterogale Leptarctus Trocharion Melinae †Arctomeles Arctonyx Meles †Promeles Mellivorinae †Ekorus †Eomellivora †Hoplictis Mellivora †Moralesictis †Mustelavinae Mustelavus Mustelinae †Baranogale †Dinogale †Lartetictis †Legionarictis Mustela Neogale †Putorius †Tisisthenes †Oligobuninae Brachypsalis Corumictis Floridictis Megalictis Oligobunis Parabrachypsalis Paroligobunis Promartes Zodiolestes Taxidiinae †Chamitataxus †Pliotaxidea Taxidea

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