Dwarf elephant 1209585 225443567 2008-07-13T18:49:45Z Mark t young 1593890 removing fossil status. adding fossil range {{Taxobox | name = Dwarf elephants | fossil_range = [[Pleistocene]] | image = Cretanelephant-petermaas.jpg | image_width = 250px | image_caption = Skeleton of a [[Crete|Cretan]] Dwarf Elephant. | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordata]] | classis = [[Mammal]]ia | ordo = [[Proboscidea]]<br /><small>in part</small> }} '''Dwarf elephants''' are prehistoric members of the order [[Proboscidea]], that, through the process of [[allopatric speciation]], evolved to a fraction of the size of their modern relatives. [[Insular dwarfism]] is a biological phenomenon by which the size of animals isolated on an island shrinks dramatically over time. [[Fossil]] remains of dwarf elephants have been found on the [[Mediterranean]] islands of [[Cyprus]], [[Malta]] (at [[Ghar Dalam]]), [[Crete]], [[Sicily]], [[Sardinia]], the [[Cyclades|Cyclades Islands]] and the [[Dodecanese Islands]]. Other islands where dwarf elephants have been found are [[Sulawesi]], [[Flores]], [[Timor]] and other islands of the [[Lesser Sundas]]. The [[Channel Islands (California)|Channel Islands of California]] once supported [[Mammuthus exilis|a dwarf species]] of [[mammoth]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.nps.gov/archive/chis/pygmy.htm | title = PYGMY MAMMOTH UPDATE }}</ref><!-- this ref seems to like meta-redirecting to the root NPS page, but it's definitely still there --> == Mediterranean Islands == Dwarf elephants were once part of the [[Pleistocene]] fauna of all the larger [[Mediterranean]] islands, with the exception, for the time being, of [[Corsica]]. Mediterranean dwarf elephants have generally been considered as [[Palaeoloxodon|paleoloxodontine]], derived from the continental [[Straight-tusked Elephant]], ''Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) antiquus'' [[Hugh Falconer|Falconer]] & [[Proby Cautley|Cautley]], 1847. An exception is the dwarf Sardinian [[Mammoth]], ''Mammuthus lamarmorae'' (Major, 1883), the only endemic elephant of the Mediterranean islands belonging to the mammoth line. A DNA research published in 2006 theorized that the ''Elephas creticus'' could be from the mammoth line too. This old theory, proposed by [[Dorothea Bate]] as early as 1905, is not widely accepted. A scientific study of 2007 demonstrates the mistakes of the DNA research of 2006.<ref name=BioLetters>{{cite journal | author = Orlando, L., Pagés, M., Calvignac, S., ''et al.''| title = Does the 43bp sequence from an 800000 year old Cretan dwarf elephantid really rewrite the textbook on mammoths? | journal = [[Biology Letters]] | doi = 10.1098/rsbl.2006.0536 | volume = 3 | issue = 1 | date = 2007-02-22 | pages = 57–59}}</ref> During low sea levels, the Mediterranean islands were colonised again and again, giving rise, sometimes on the same island, to several species (or subspecies) of different body sizes. These endemic dwarf elephants were taxonomically different on each island or group of very close islands, like the Cyclades archipelago. There are many uncertainties about the time of colonisation, the phylogenetic relationships and the taxonomic status of dwarf elephants on the Mediterranean islands. Extinction of the insular dwarf elephants has not been correlated with the arrival in the islands of man. Furthermore, there has been suggested that the finding of skeletons of such elephants sparked the idea that they belonged to giant men i.e. cyclopses, because the center nasal opening bears similarities with a human orbit. [[Image:Éléphant nain maltais.jpg|thumb|Dwarf elephant [[skeleton]] of Malta]] === Sardinia === * ''Mammuthus lamarmorae'' (Major, 1883) * ''Elephas antiquus'' (Acconci, 1881) * ''Elephas melitensis'' (Caria, 1965) === Sicily & Malta === * ''Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) antiquus leonardii'' Aguirre, 1969 * ''Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) mnaidriensis'' (Adams, 1874) * ''Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) melitensis'' Falconer, 1868 * ''[[Elephas falconeri|Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) falconeri]]'' Busk, 1867 === Crete === * ''Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) creticus'' (Bate, 1907) * ''Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) creutzburgi'' ([[Kyuss]], 1965) * ''Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) chaniensis'' (Symeonides et al., 2001)<ref>Symeonides, N. K.; ''et al.'' (2001). "[http://www.cq.rm.cnr.it/elephants2001/pdf/510_513.pdf New data on ''Elephas chaniensis'' (Vamos cave, Chania, Crete)]". In Cavarretta, Giuseppe (ed.), ''The World of Elephants - International Congress, Rome 2001'', Rome 2001, 510-513. ISBN 88-8080-025-6</ref> After DNA research, published in 2006, it has been proposed to rename ''Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) creticus'' into ''Mammuthus creticus'' (Bate, 1907). Others proposed (in 2002{{Fact|date=July 2007}}) to rename all the described specimens of larger size under the new subspecies name ''Elephas antiquus creutzburgi'' (Kuss, 1965). In a recent study of 2007, it was argued for the groundlessness of the theory by Poulakakis et al. in 2006{{Fact|date=July 2007}}, showing the weak points of that DNA research.<ref name=BioLetters/> === Cyprus === * ''[[Cyprus Dwarf Elephant|Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) cypriotes'' Bate]], 1903 The Cyprus dwarf elephant survived at least until 11,000 [[Before present|BP]]. Its estimated body weight was only 200 kg, only 2% of its 10,000 kg ancestor. Molars of this dwarf are reduced to approximately 40% the size of mainland [[Straight-tusked Elephant|straight-tusked elephant]]s. Remains of the species were first discovered and recorded by [[Dorothea Bate]] in a cave in the [[Kyrenia]] hills of [[Cyprus]] in 1902 and reported in 1903.<ref>Bate, D. M. A.: ''Preliminary Note on the Discovery of a Pigmy Elephant in the Pleistocene of Cyprus'' in ''Proceedings of the Royal Society of London'' Vol. 71 (1902 - 1903), pp. 498-500</ref><ref>Dorothea Bate, ''Cyprus work diary 1901–02'', 3 volumes, Natural History Museum's earth sciences library, palaeontology MSS</ref> === Cyclades Islands === Remains of paleoloxodontine elephants have been reported from the islands of [[Delos]], [[Naxos Island|Naxos]], [[Kythnos]], [[Serifos]] and [[Milos]]. The Delos elephant is of similar size to a small ''Elephas antiquus'', while the Naxos elephant is of similar size to ''Elephas melitensis''. The remains from Kythnos, Serifos and Milos have not been described. === Dodecanese Islands === On the island of [[Rhodes]], bones of an endemic dwarf elephant have been discovered. This elephant was similar in size to ''Elephas mnaidriensis''. Two groups of remains of dwarf elephants have been found on the island of [[Tilos]]. They are similar in size to ''Elephas mnaidriensis'' and the smaller ''Elephas falconeri'', but the two groups indicate sexual dimorphism.<ref name=Theodorou1983>{{cite book | author = Theodorou, G. | year = 1983 | title = The dwarf elephants of the Charkadio cave on the island of Tilos (Dodekanese, Greece) | publisher = Phd Thesis Athens University | pages = 321 pp}}</ref><ref name=Theodorou1988>{{cite journal | author = Theodorou, G.E. | year = 1988 | title = Environmental factors affecting the evolution of islands endemics: The Tilos example for Greece | journal = Modern Geology | volume = 13 | pages = 183–188}}</ref> The remains had originally been designated to ''Palaeoloxodon antiquus falconeri'' (Busk, 1867). However, this name refers to the dwarf elephants from the island of Malta. As a result, since no migration route between the two islands can be proved, this name should not be used when referring to the elephant remnants from Tilos, although some scientists have accepted the temporal use of this name until further material can be examined.<ref name=Theodorou1983/> The Tilos dwarf elephant is the first dwarf elephant whose DNA sequence has been studied. The results of this research are consistent with previous morphological reports, according to which ''Palaeoloxodon'' is more closely related to ''Elephas'' than to ''Loxodonta'' or ''Mammuthus''. The Tilos dwarf elephant was the latest paleoloxodontine to survive in [[Europe]]. They became extinct just less than 4000 years [[Before present|BP]], so this elephant survived well into the [[Holocene]]. == Channel Islands of California == The [[Mammoth|Columbian mammoth]] (''Mammuthus columbii'') produced a separate, isolated population at the end of the Pleistocene. One of these isolated groups was formed on the Californian Channel Islands, most likely about 40,000 years ago (although the time of isolation is not fully known). Selective forces on the Channel Islands resulted in smaller animals, forming a new species, the [[Pygmy Mammoth]] ''Mammuthus exilis''. Channel Islands mammoths ranged from 150-190 cm in shoulder height. == Wrangel Island == During the last ice age, [[woolly mammoth]]s (''Mammuthus primigenius'') lived on [[Wrangel Island]] in the [[Arctic Ocean]]. It has been shown that mammoths survived on Wrangel Island until 1700 B.C.E., the most recent survival of any known mammoth population. Wrangel Island is thought to have become separated from the mainland by 12,000 years [[Before Present|BP]]. Survival of a mammoth population may be explained by local topography and climatic features, which permitted relictual preservation of communities of steppe plants. Wrangel Island mammoths ranged from 180-230 cm in shoulder height and were for a time considered "dwarf mammoths".<ref name=Nature>{{cite journal | author = Vartanyan, S.L., Garutt, V.E., Sher, A.V. | month = | year = 1993 | title = Holocene dwarf mammoths from Wrangel Island in the Siberian Arctic | journal = [[Nature (journal)|Nature]] | volume = 362 | pages = 337–340 | doi=10.1038/362337a0 }}</ref> However this classification has been re-evaluated and since the Second International Mammoth Conference in [[1999]], these mammoths are no longer considered to be true "dwarf mammoths". == Indonesia == On Sulawesi and Flores evidence of a succession of distinct endemic island faunas has been found, including dwarfed elephants, dating until the Middle [[Pleistocene]]. Around the early Middle Pleistocene these dwarfed elephants were replaced by new immigrants of larger to intermediate sizes. === Flores === The present understanding of the succession of ''[[Stegodon]]'' species on [[Flores]] is that endemic dwarfs, represented by the Early Pleistocene species ''Stegodon sondaarii'', became extinct around 840,000 years ago. These dwarf forms were then replaced by the medium to large-sized ''Stegodon florensis'', a species closely related to the ''Stegodon trigonocephalus'' group found both in Java and in the islands of biogeographical [[Wallacea]], separated by deep water from the [[Asia]]n and [[Australia]]n [[continental shelf|continental shelves]]. === Sulawesi === The dwarfed ''Stegodon sompoensis'' lived during the Pleistocene on the island of [[Sulawesi]]. They had a shoulder height of only 1.5m. ==See also== * [[Pygmy Elephant]] == References ==<!-- Taxonomy is inconsistent on entire group of Elephant, Elephas, Palaeoloxodon... pages. See also Biol. Lett.2:451 doi:10.1098/rsbl.2006.0467 but see also BiolLett3:55,57,60. First and last papers have digital appendices. --> {{reflist}} <!-- Please convert these into inline refs * Davies, P., Lister, A.M., 2001. Palaeoloxodon cypriotes, the dwarf elephant of Cyprus: size and scaling comparisons with P. falconeri (Sicily-Malta) and mainland P. antiquus. The World of Elephants, Proceedings of the 1st International Congress (October 16-20 2001, Rome): 479-480. [http://www.cq.rm.cnr.it/elephants2001/pdf/479_480.pdf PDF fulltext] * Palombo, M.R. 2001. Endemic elephants of the Mediterranean Islands: knowledge, problems and perspectives. The World of Elephants, Proceedings of the 1st International Congress (October 16-20 2001, Rome): 486-491. [http://www.cq.rm.cnr.it/elephants2001/pdf/486_491.pdf PDF fulltext] * Poulakakis, N., Mylonas, M., Lymberakis, P., Fassoulas, C. 2002. Origin and taxonomy of the fossil elephants of the island of Crete (Greece): problems and perspectives. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2002, 186(1-2), pp 163-183. * Poulakakis, N., A. Parmakelis, P. Lymberakis, M. Mylonas, E.Zouros, D. S. Reese, S. Glaberman and A. Caccone. 2006. Ancient DNA forces reconsideration of evolutionary history of Mediterranean pygmy elephantids. [[Biology Letters]], 19 April 2006. * Poulakakis N, Theodorou GE, Zouros E, Mylonas M. 2002. Molecular phylogeny of the extinct pleistocene dwarf elephant Palaeoloxodon antiquus falconeri from Tilos Island, Dodekanisa, Greece. Journal of Molecular Evolution: 55(3):364-74. *Stone, Richard. ''Mammoths: The resurrection of an Ice Age giant''. London: Fourth Estate, 2001 p.89 (ISBN 1-84115-518-7) * Symeonides, N.K., Theodorou, G.E., Giannopoulos V.I. 2001. New data on Elephas chaniensis (Vamos cave, Chania, Crete). The World of Elephants, Proceedings of the 1st International Congress (October 16-20 2001, Rome): 510-513. [http://www.cq.rm.cnr.it/elephants2001/pdf/510_513.pdf PDF fulltext] * Theodorou, G.E., Agiadi, K., 2001. Observations on the microstructure of fossil tusks from the Charkadio cave (Tilos, Dodekanese, Greece). The World of Elephants, Proceedings of the 1st International Congress (October 16-20 2001, Rome): 563-567. [http://www.cq.rm.cnr.it/elephants2001/pdf/563_567.pdf PDF fulltext] * Tikhonov, A., Agenbroad, L. & Vartanyan, S., 2003 - Comparative analysis of the mammoth populations on Wrangel Island and the Channel Islands - in: Reumer, J.W.F., De Vos, J. & Mol, D. (eds.) - Advances in Mammoth Research (Proceedings of the Second International Mammoth Conference, Rotterdam, May 16-20 1999) - DEINSEA 9: 415-420 [ISSN 0923-9308] Published 24 May 2003 * Van den Bergh, G.D., De Vos, J., Aziz, F., Morwood, M.J. 2001. Elephantoidea in the Indonesian region: new Stegodon findings from Flores. The World of Elephants, Proceedings of the 1st International Congress (October 16-20 2001, Rome): 623-627. [http://www.cq.rm.cnr.it/elephants2001/pdf/623_627.pdf PDF fulltext] --> [[Category:Prehistoric elephants]] [[ca:Mamut de Sardenya]] [[id:Gajah kerdil]] [[it:Elefante nano]] [[nl:Dwergolifant]]