کد مقاله | کد نشریه | سال انتشار | مقاله انگلیسی | نسخه تمام متن |
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1039941 | 944444 | 2016 | 22 صفحه PDF | دانلود رایگان |
Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) antiquus is a well-known elephant species of the Middle and Late Pleistocene of Europe, but few skeletons so far have been described in detail. Here we present a detailed account of a partial skeleton in good condition from the alluvial sands of the Amyntaio coal mines, Macedonia, Greece. It represents a large male aged in its forties. Based on extant and extinct elephant specimens, the Amyntaio's elephant estimated height at the shoulder is 3.5 m and its weight close to 9 tonnes. A CT scan was performed on the deformed fifth metacarpal which was diagnosed with osteomyelitis, probably rendering the animal lame. No signs of further biologically induced ante- or post-mortem modifications were detected. From that skeleton the first known basihyoid bone of E. antiquus is recovered; comparisons with homologous bones of other elephantid taxa show it has a very distinct morphology and can be used in phylogenetic studies of the Elephantidae family.
Journal: Quaternary International - Volume 406, Part B, 25 June 2016, Pages 35–56