Norihisa Inuzuka, Naotomo Kaneko and Takamune Takabatake (2016) The skeleton of Desmostylus from Utanobori, Hokkaido, Japan, III. Redescription of the 8th Utanobori specimen and reconsideration for cranial morphology of the 1st specimen. Bull. Geol. Surv. Japan, vol.67 (5), p.167-181, 2 figs, 2 tables, 2 plates, 1 appendix.Abstract: The 8th Utanobori specimens described previously are re-described, because of misidentification of the side and direction of the patella and osteologically insufficient description and discussion of the humerus. The right humerus (OME-U-0170) is more than 525 mm in length, and the left patella (OME-U-0171) is 112 mm in maximum thickness. The body length of an adult male Desmostylus is estimated at 387 cm and the weight at about 3.5 t from the largest humerus. The patella about 50 percent thicker than that of an Asiatic elephant suggests a larger moment arm of the knee extension, which proves that Desmostylus had a lateral-type limb posture.In the appendix, the cranial morphology of the 1st Utanobori specimen is reconsidered based on addition of specimens for comparison.
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