Proboscidea

In this article, we present the proboscidean assemblage from the upper Miocene vertebrate locality Nikiti 2 (Chalkidiki Peninsula, Macedonia, Greece). Based on the dental remains, the material belongs exclusively to the genus Choerolophodon. The morphology of the dp3/DP3 and the dimensions of the deciduous dentition clearly distinguish the Nikiti 2 choerolophodont from the early Vallesian Choerolophodon anatolicus and permit its assignment to C. pentelici. C. pentelici is represented in SE Europe–SW Asia by a primitive morph, known from the late Vallesian–earliest Turolian, and an advanced morph Turolian in age. The morphometric features of the Nikiti 2 specimens and their comparison with the choerolophodont material from upper Miocene localities of the wider region indicate that the Nikiti 2 C. pentelici belongs to the advanced morph of the species, suggestive for a Turolian age for the locality. These results agree with the rest of the fauna, which is correlated to the early Turolian (MN 11).