An extinct deer species of deer existed before the quanternary event and neolithic age was called the cervalces scotti. Slightly bigger than the modern moose. Its name, stag-moose, refers to the fact that it looks similar to a cross between an elk and a moose. If you had been around to see one alive, you might have thought it looked more like a stilt-legged moose with the face of an elk and very complex palmate antlers (like the shape of a hand). The stag-moose (or, cervalces scotti) had actually had more complex antlers than the modern moose.
Similar to the modern moose, fossil finds indicate it probably preferred mires and other wetlands environments such as spruce parklands. It probably lived a similar lifestyle too.
Not extremely common. Cervalces scotti was found in many midwestern states. The sites on this map are all relatively well-dated and well-studied and contain stag-moose remains that are between 40,000 and 11,500 years old.
Description:
2.5 m (8.2 ft) in length and a weight of 708.5 kg (1,562 lb)
They are the only known North American member of the genus Cervalces.
Discovery
The first evidence of stag moose found in modern times was at Big Bone Lick, Kentucky by William Clark, in 1805. A more complete skeleton was found in 1885 by William Barryman Scott in New Jersey. Did you know? Mummified remains have also been found.
Evolution and extinction
It is believed cervalces scotti evolved on the Eurasian continent and probably crossed the beringa land bridge at some point. Although there is no paleontological evidence that it was associated with humans. Extinction speculation that hunting by newly arrived humans caused the
extinction of the Cervalces scotti and other large mammals. Or, some have proposed a sudden extinction by disease, brought by small mammals in association with humans.
One of the oldest known fossil of Cervalces scotti was found in the bed of the Skunk River in Iowa. The specimen was dated back to approximately 30,000 years ago. The area and date implies a massive ice sheet covered the area in which it inhabited, which could also be a possible cause of its extinction. Loss of wood land and natural pastures could have also been a cause of its extinction.
Stag moose probably lived in a narrow geographic range. Spruce-dominant mixed conifer and deciduous wet woodland which may have made it more vulnerable to extinction. As well as competition from other herbivorous artiodactyls like bison; and, possible competition from the true moose (alces alces). All contributed to decline.
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