Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis

species

“Elephas Mnaidriensis”, “P. Mnaidriensis”

Sensitive Classification

Fossils are sensitive in nature and should not be collected unless it is done legally and responsibly. Vertebrate fossils are illegal to collect on public lands.

On the Web

On Wikipedia

Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis or Elephas mnaidriensis is an extinct species of elephant from Malta and Sicily closely related to the modern Asian elephant, or possibly to the modern African forest elephant. This elephant is a separate species with respect to the European mainland straight-tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus) and not just a smaller insular form. 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). Another estimate gives a shoulder height of 2 m (6.6 ft) and a weight of 1.7 t (1.9 short tons).