Lontra weiri

{{Short description|Extinct species of carnivore}}

{{Italic title}}

{{Speciesbox

| name = Weir's otter

| fossil_range = {{fossil range|Pliocene}}

| genus = Lontra

| species =weiri

| extinct=yes

| authority = Prassack (2016)

}}

Lontra weiri (Weir's otter) is a fossil species in the carnivoran family Mustelidae from the Hagerman Fossil Beds of Idaho. It shared its habitat with Satherium piscinarium, a probable ancestor of the giant otter of South America.{{cite journal |author=Prassack, K.A. | date = July 2016 | title = Lontra weiri, sp. nov., a Pliocene river otter (Mammalia, Carnivora, Mustelidae, Lutrinae) from the Hagerman Fossil Beds (Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument), Idaho, USA | journal = Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology | volume = 36 | issue = 4 | pages = e1149075 | doi = 10.1080/02724634.2016.1149075| bibcode = 2016JVPal..36E9075P | s2cid = 87404097 }} It is named in honor of musician Bob Weir, and is the oldest known member of its genus.{{cite web|url=https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/laelaps/paleo-profile-bob-weir-s-otter/|title=Paleo Profile: Bob Weir's Otter |last=Switek |first=Brian |access-date=25 April 2018}} Prior to its discovery, Lontra was thought to have evolved from Lutra licenti, which dates from the Pleistocene of East Asia.{{cite web|url=https://synapsida.blogspot.com/2016/09/ancient-otters-of-idaho.html|title=Ancient Otters of Idaho|last=Revell|first=Jamie|date=4 September 2016 |access-date=9 May 2018}}