Candiacervus

Candiacervus devosi

Resurrected on:

22 feb. 2020

Genus information

Candiacervus, or Cretan Deer, is an extinct genus of deer that thrived on the Greek island of Crete during the Pleistocene epoch. They weren't just ordinary deer: besides their spatula- or club-shaped antlers, their small size was their most notable feature. Some species just reached 40 cm at the shoulders! They were even closely related to the giant Megaloceros deer from the mainland. Candiacervus evolved in mutiple species to occupy all potential niches on the island, ranging from dense forests to rocky outcrops.

Family:

Distribution:

Epoch:

Cervidae

Europe

Pleistocene

Species information

A total of ten species of Candiacervus are known at the moment, of which C. devosi is one of the smaller sized species that lived on the island of Crete. It stood 50 cm high and weighed about 20 kg. Its antlers were thin and retained several tines, especially close to the skull. The antlers had a length of about 40-50 cm.

Species:

Paleontologist:

Distribution:

Epoch:

Candiacervus devosi

Van der Geer, 2018

Europe

Pleistocene

Length:

Height:

Weight:

80 cm

50 cm

20 kg

Reference:

van der Geer, A. A. (2018). Uniformity in variety: Antler morphology and evolution in a predator-free environment. Palaeontol Electron.