Palaeoloxodon

Straight-tusked elephant. Skeleton of an Elephas antiquus in the Museo paleontologico of the university Sapienzia, Rome

The genus †Palaeoloxodon, (from greek Palaeo: before, and Loxodon) is a genus within the mammal order of Proboscidea.

Palaeoloxodon is an extinct genus that contains the various species of straight-tusked elephants. The genus originated in Africa during the Pliocene era, and expanded into Eurasia during the Pleistocene era. One species, Palaeoloxodon namadicus, was possibly the largest known land mammal, which were found out to have reached and surpassed the body size of the largest indricotheres. [1][2].

The genus has a long and complex taxonomic history, and at various times, it has been considered to belong to Loxodonta or Elephas, but today is considered distinct.[2]

Species

• †Straight-tusked elephant Palaeoloxodon antiquus. (extinct) [3]
• †Palaeoloxodon chaniensis. (species; extinct) [3]
• †Palaeoloxodon creutzburgi. (species; extinct) [3]
• †Palaeoloxodon cypriotes. (species; extinct) [3]
• †Mediterranean dwarf elephant Palaeoloxodon falconeri. (species; extinct) [3]
• †Palaeoloxodon lomolinoi. (species; extinct) [3]
• †Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis. (species; extinct) [3]
• †Palaeoloxodon namadicus(species; extinct) [3]
• †Palaeoloxodon naumanni. (species; extinct) [3]
• †Palaeoloxodon recki. (species; extinct) [3]
• †Palaeoloxodon tiliensis. (species; extinct) [3]
• †Palaeoloxodon turkmenicus. (species; extinct) [3]
• †Palaeoloxodon xylophagou. (species; extinct) [3]

5 Straight-tusked elephant in taxidermy collections

3 Palaeoloxodon falconeri in taxidermy collections

Sources

1. Shoulder height, body mass, and shape of proboscideans, by Asier Larramendi
2. Palaeoloxodon on Wikipedia
3. Palaeoloxodon on Wikispecies