Palaeoloxodon creutzburgi is an extinct species of elephant known from the Middle-Late Pleistocene of Crete. It is a descendant of the large mainland species Palaeoloxodon antiquus. It is known from localities across the island. P. chaniensis from Stylos and in Vamos cave, Chania, west Crete[1][2][3] is considered to be a junior synonym of P. creutzburgi. It had undergone insular dwarfism, being approximately 40% of the size of its mainland ancestor, and was around the size of the living Asian elephant.[4] It lived alongside the radiation of Candiacervus deer endemic to the island, the mouse Mus batae-minotaurus , the Cretan otter, and the Cretan shrew.[5]
Palaeoloxodon creutzburgi Temporal range: Pleistocene
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Drawing of molar teeth | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Proboscidea |
Family: | Elephantidae |
Genus: | †Palaeoloxodon |
Species: | †P. creutzburgi
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Binomial name | |
†Palaeoloxodon creutzburgi Kuss 1965
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Synonyms | |
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: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of May 2024 (link)