Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis is an extinct species of elephant from Malta and Sicily belonging to the genus Palaeoloxodon. It is derived from the European mainland straight-tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus).[2]P. mnaidriensis has nearly 90% body reduction compared to the ancestral form with an estimated shoulder height of about 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) and a mean body weight of about 1,100 kilograms (2,400 lb).[2] Another estimate gives a shoulder height of 2 m (6.6 ft) and a weight of 1.7 t (1.9 short tons).[3] It descended from a colonisation of Sicily by P.antiquus during the late Middle Pleistocene, replacing the even smaller 1 metre tall Palaeoloxodonfalconeri, which had descended from a separate colonisation of Sicily by P. antiquus several hundred thousand years prior.[4] The appearance of P.mnaidriensis marks a faunal turnover where the depauperate endemic fauna that characterised Sicily during the Early and early-mid Middle Pleistocene was replaced by the continental fauna of mainland Italy, including large predators like lions (Panthera spelaea), cave hyenas (Crocuta crocuta spelea) and wolves, and large herbivores including red deer, fallow deer, steppe bison and aurochs which coexisted with P. mnaidriensis. Its ecology has been suggested to have been that of a mixed feeder (both grazing and browsing). The youngest records of the species or a close relative are from what is now the island of Favignana, dating to around 30-20,000 years ago, during the Last Glacial Maximum.[4][5]
^Adams, A. Leith (November 1874). "I. On the Dentition and Osteology of the Maltese fossil Elephants, being a Description of Remains discovered by the Author in Malta, between the years 1860 and 1866". The Transactions of the Zoological Society of London. 9 (1): 1–124. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1874.tb00235.x.
^ abFerretti, M.P. (May 2008). "The dwarf elephant Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis from Puntali Cave, Carini (Sicily; late Middle Pleistocene): Anatomy, systematics and phylogenetic relationships". Quaternary International. 182 (1): 90–108. Bibcode:2008QuInt.182...90F. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2007.11.003.
^Larramendi, A. (2016). "Shoulder height, body mass and shape of proboscideans" (PDF). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 61. doi:10.4202/app.00136.2014. S2CID 2092950.
^ abScarborough, Matthew Edward (March 2022). "Extreme Body Size Variation in Pleistocene Dwarf Elephants from the Siculo-Maltese Palaeoarchipelago: Disentangling the Causes in Time and Space". Quaternary. 5 (1): 17. doi:10.3390/quat5010017. ISSN 2571-550X.
^Bonfiglio, L., Marra, A. C., Masini, F., Pavia, M., & Petruso, D. (2002). Pleistocene faunas of Sicily: a review. In W. H. Waldren, & J. A. Ensenyat (Eds.), World islands in prehistory: international insular investigations. British Archaeological Reports, International Series, 1095, 428–436.
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palaeoloxodon, mnaidriensis, extinct, species, elephant, from, malta, sicily, belonging, genus, palaeoloxodon, derived, from, european, mainland, straight, tusked, elephant, palaeoloxodon, antiquus, mnaidriensis, nearly, body, reduction, compared, ancestral, f. Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis is an extinct species of elephant from Malta and Sicily belonging to the genus Palaeoloxodon It is derived from the European mainland straight tusked elephant Palaeoloxodon antiquus 2 P mnaidriensis has nearly 90 body reduction compared to the ancestral form with an estimated shoulder height of about 1 8 metres 5 9 ft and a mean body weight of about 1 100 kilograms 2 400 lb 2 Another estimate gives a shoulder height of 2 m 6 6 ft and a weight of 1 7 t 1 9 short tons 3 It descended from a colonisation of Sicily by P antiquus during the late Middle Pleistocene replacing the even smaller 1 metre tall Palaeoloxodon falconeri which had descended from a separate colonisation of Sicily by P antiquus several hundred thousand years prior 4 The appearance of P mnaidriensis marks a faunal turnover where the depauperate endemic fauna that characterised Sicily during the Early and early mid Middle Pleistocene was replaced by the continental fauna of mainland Italy including large predators like lions Panthera spelaea cave hyenas Crocuta crocuta spelea and wolves and large herbivores including red deer fallow deer steppe bison and aurochs which coexisted with P mnaidriensis Its ecology has been suggested to have been that of a mixed feeder both grazing and browsing The youngest records of the species or a close relative are from what is now the island of Favignana dating to around 30 20 000 years ago during the Last Glacial Maximum 4 5 Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensisTemporal range late Middle Late PleistoceneScientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder ProboscideaFamily ElephantidaeGenus PalaeoloxodonSpecies P mnaidriensisBinomial name Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis Adams 1874 1 JawSee also Edit Paleontology portalDwarf elephantReferences Edit Adams A Leith November 1874 I On the Dentition and Osteology of the Maltese fossil Elephants being a Description of Remains discovered by the Author in Malta between the years 1860 and 1866 The Transactions of the Zoological Society of London 9 1 1 124 doi 10 1111 j 1096 3642 1874 tb00235 x a b Ferretti M P May 2008 The dwarf elephant Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis from Puntali Cave Carini Sicily late Middle Pleistocene Anatomy systematics and phylogenetic relationships Quaternary International 182 1 90 108 Bibcode 2008QuInt 182 90F doi 10 1016 j quaint 2007 11 003 Larramendi A 2016 Shoulder height body mass and shape of proboscideans PDF Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 61 doi 10 4202 app 00136 2014 S2CID 2092950 a b Scarborough Matthew Edward March 2022 Extreme Body Size Variation in Pleistocene Dwarf Elephants from the Siculo Maltese Palaeoarchipelago Disentangling the Causes in Time and Space Quaternary 5 1 17 doi 10 3390 quat5010017 ISSN 2571 550X Bonfiglio L Marra A C Masini F Pavia M amp Petruso D 2002 Pleistocene faunas of Sicily a review In W H Waldren amp J A Ensenyat Eds World islands in prehistory international insular investigations British Archaeological Reports International Series 1095 428 436 This article about a prehistoric proboscidean is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis amp oldid 1118258562, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
