View source for Dwarf elephant

{{short description|Prehistoric elephant species}}
[[Image:Elephas skeleton.JPG|right|thumb|''[[Palaeoloxodon falconeri]]'' skeleton cast]]
'''Dwarf elephants''' are prehistoric members of the order [[Proboscidea]] which, through the process of [[allopatric speciation]] on islands, evolved much smaller body sizes (around 1.5-2.3 metres) in comparison with their immediate ancestors. Dwarf elephants are an example of [[insular dwarfism]], the phenomenon whereby large terrestrial vertebrates (usually mammals) that colonize islands evolve dwarf forms, a phenomenon attributed to adaptation to resource-poor environments and selection for early maturation and reproduction. Some modern populations of [[Asian elephant]]s have also undergone size reduction on islands to a lesser degree, resulting in populations of [[Borneo elephant|pygmy elephant]]s.

[[Fossil]] remains of dwarf elephants have been found on the [[Mediterranean]] islands of [[Cyprus]], [[Malta]] (at [[Għar Dalam]]), [[Crete]] (in [[Chania]]  at [[Vamos]], [[Stylos]] and in a now-underwater cave on the coast), [[Sicily]], [[Sardinia]], the [[Cyclades|Cyclades Islands]] and the [[Dodecanese Islands]]. Other islands where dwarf ''[[Stegodon]]'' have been found are [[Sulawesi]], [[Flores]], [[Timor]], other islands of the [[Lesser Sundas]] and [[Central Java]]; all of these islands are in [[Indonesia]]. The [[Channel Islands (California)|Channel Islands of California]] once supported [[Mammuthus exilis|a dwarf species]] descended from [[Columbian mammoth|Columbian mammoths]],<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.nps.gov/chis/learn/historyculture/pygmymammoth.htm | title = The Pygmy Mammoth (U.S. National Park Service) }}</ref> while populations of small [[woolly mammoth]]s were once found on [[Saint Paul Island (Alaska)|Saint Paul Island]]; <!-- this ref seems to like meta-redirecting to the root NPS page, but it's definitely still there --> the mammoths on [[Wrangel Island]] are no longer considered dwarfs.

== The Mediterranean islands ==
{{Location map many | Mediterranean
  | relief = yes
  | default_width = 500
  | caption = Mediterranean islands with remains of dwarf elephants<br />[[Image:Red pog.svg|10px]] genus ''Palaeoloxodon''<br />[[Image:Green pog.svg|10px]] genus ''Mammuthus''<br />[[Image:Red-green dot.svg|10px]] both genera founded on Crete<br />[[Image:Black pog.svg|10px]] About some remains of Cyclades islands neither the genus is known nor if the elephants were dwarf forms.
| label1 = Sardinia
  | pos1 = left
  | mark1 = Green pog.svg
  | lat1_deg = 40.09
  | lon1_deg = 9.05
| label2 = Favignana
  | pos2 = left
  | lat2_deg = 37.91
  | lon2_deg = 12.32
| label3 = Sicily
  | pos3 = right
  | lat3_deg = 37.60
  | lon3_deg = 14.08
| label4 = Malta
  | pos4 = bottom
  | lat4_deg = 35.89
  | lon4_deg = 14.42
| label5 = Crete
  | pos5 = bottom
  | mark5 = Red-green dot.svg
  | lat5_deg = 35.20
  | lon5_deg = 24.83
| label6 = Kythnos
  | pos6 = none
  | mark6 = Black pog.svg
  | mark6size = 6
  | lat6_deg = 37.39
  | lon6_deg = 24.42
| label7 = Serifos
  | pos7 = none
  | mark7 = Black pog.svg
  | mark7size = 6
  | lat7_deg = 37.16
  | lon7_deg = 24.48
| label8 = Milos
  | pos8 = none
  | mark8 = Black pog.svg
  | mark8size = 6
  | lat8_deg = 36.69
  | lon8_deg = 24.45
| label9 = Delos
  | pos9 = none
  | mark9size = 6
  | lat9_deg = 37.39
  | lon9_deg = 25.27
| label10 = Paros
  | pos10 = none
  | mark10 = Black pog.svg
  | mark10size = 6
  | lat10_deg = 37.05
  | lon10_deg = 25.18
| label11 = Naxos
  | pos11 = none
  | mark11size = 6
  | lat11_deg = 37.05
  | lon11_deg = 25.47
| label12 = Astypalaia
  | pos12 = none
  | lat12_deg = 36.58
  | lon12_deg = 26.38
| label13 = Kasos
  | pos13 = right
  | lat13_deg = 35.39
  | lon13_deg = 26.92
| label14 = Tilos
  | pos14 = none
  | lat14_deg = 36.43
  | lon14_deg = 27.37
| label15 = Rhodes
  | pos15 = right
  | lat15_deg = 36.20
  | lon15_deg = 27.97
| label16 = Cyprus
  | pos16 = bottom
  | lat16_deg = 35.03
  | lon16_deg = 33.23
}}

Dwarf elephants first inhabited the Mediterranean islands during the [[Pleistocene]], including all the major islands with the apparent exception of [[Corsica]] and the [[Balearic Islands|Balearics]]. Mediterranean dwarf elephants have generally been considered as members of the genus ''[[Palaeoloxodon]]'', derived from the continental [[straight-tusked elephant]], ''Palaeoloxodon antiquus'' ([[Hugh Falconer|Falconer]] & [[Proby Cautley|Cautley]], 1847), [[Synonym (taxonomy)|Syn.]]: ''Elephas antiquus''. An exception is the dwarf Sardinian [[mammoth]], ''Mammuthus lamarmorai'' (Major, 1883), the first endemic elephant of the Mediterranean islands recognized as belonging to the mammoth line. A genetic study published in 2006 theorized that the ''Elephas creticus'' could be from the mammoth line too. A scientific study of 2007 demonstrates the mistakes of the DNA research of 2006.<ref name=BioLetters>{{cite journal |author1=Orlando, L. |author2=Pagés, M. |author3=Calvignac, S. | 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 |pmid=17443966 | volume = 3 | issue = 1 | date = 2007-02-22 | pages = 57–59|display-authors=etal|pmc=2373798 }}</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. As the Ice Age came to an end, sea levels rose, stranding elephants on the island. The island of Sicily appears to have been colonised by proboscideans in at least three separate waves of colonisation. 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 of humans to the islands. Furthermore, it has been suggested by the palaeontologist [[Othenio Abel]] in 1914,<ref>Abel's surmise is noted by [[Adrienne Mayor]] in ''The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times'' (Princeton University Press) 2000. [See illus. ed., 2001: {{ISBN|0691089779}}]</ref> that the finding of skeletons of such elephants sparked the idea that they belonged to giant one-eyed monsters, because the center nasal opening was thought to be the socket of a single eye, and thus perhaps were, for example, the origin of the one-eyed [[Cyclopes]] of [[Greek mythology]].

=== Italy and Malta ===
[[Image:0472 - Siracusa - Museo archeologico - Elephas Falconeri Foto Giovanni Dall'Orto - 22-May-2008.jpg|thumb|''Palaeoloxodon falconeri'']]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Island !! Taxon !! Author
|-
| [[Sardinia]] || ''[[Mammuthus lamarmorai]]'' || ({{Smallcaps|Major}}, 1883)
|-
| style="background: lightblue" | [[Favignana]] || ''Palaeoloxodon'' spec. || {{Smallcaps|Palombo}} et al., 2020<ref name="Palombo2020">{{cite journal | doi = 10.1080/08912963.2020.1772251| title = Was the dwarfed ''Palaeoloxodon'' from Favignana Island the last endemic Pleistocene elephant from the western Mediterranean islands?| journal = Historical Biology| volume = | issue =| pages = 1–19 | year = 2020| last1 = Palombo | first1 = M. R.| last2 = Antonioli | first2 = F.| last3 = Di Patti | first3 = C.| last4 = Presti | first4 = V. L.| last5 = Scarborough | first5 = M. E.}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background: lightblue" | [[Malta]] || ''[[Palaeoloxodon falconeri]]'' || ({{Smallcaps|Busk}}, 1869)
|-
| ''[[Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis]]'' || ({{Smallcaps|Adams}}, 1874)
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background: lightblue" | [[Sicily]] || ''Palaeoloxodon falconeri'' || ({{Smallcaps|Busk}}, 1869)
|-
| ''Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis'' || ({{Smallcaps|Adams}}, 1874)
|}

{{legend|lightblue|connected during [[Last Glacial Maximum|LGM]]<ref name="Palombo2020"/>}}

=== Greece ===
==== Crete ====
[[Image:Cretanelephant-petermaas.jpg|thumb|right|Skeleton of a [[Mammuthus creticus|Cretan dwarf mammoth]]]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Island !! Taxon !! Author
|-
| rowspan="3"| [[Crete]] || ''[[Mammuthus creticus]]'' || ({{Smallcaps|Bate}}, 1907)
|-
| ''[[Palaeoloxodon chaniensis]]'' || ({{Smallcaps|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 ''Palaeoloxodon chaniensis'' (Vamos cave, Chania, Crete)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060626002156/http://www.cq.rm.cnr.it/elephants2001/pdf/510_513.pdf |date=June 26, 2006 }}". In Cavarretta, Giuseppe (ed.), ''The World of Elephants - International Congress, Rome 2001'', Rome 2001, 510-513. {{ISBN|88-8080-025-6}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Palaeoloxodon creutzburgi]]'' || ({{Smallcaps|Kuss}}, 1965)
|}

Poulakakis and others proposed in 2002 to rename all the described specimens of larger size than ''Mammuthus creticus'' under the new subspecies name ''Elephas antiquus creutzburgi'' (Kuss, 1965).<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Poulakakis, N. |author2=Mylonas, M. |author3=Lymberakis, P. |author4=and Fassoulas, C. |date=2002-10-01| title = Origin and taxonomy of the fossil elephants of the island of Crete (Greece): problems and perspectives | journal = Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology | volume = 186 | issue = 1–2| pages = 163–183 | doi = 10.1016/S0031-0182(02)00451-0}}</ref>  After DNA research, published in 2006, it has been proposed to rename ''Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) creticus'' into ''Mammuthus creticus'' (Bate, 1907). In a recent study of 2007, it was argued for the groundlessness of the theory by Poulakakis et al. in 2006,<ref name=Poulakakis2006>{{cite journal |author1=Poulakakis N. |author2=Parmakelis A. |author3=Lymberakis P. |author4=Mylonas M. |author5=Zouros E. |author6=Reese D. |author7=Glaberman S. |author8=Caccone A. | year = 2006 | title = Ancient DNA forces reconsideration of evolutionary history of Mediterranean pygmy elephantids | url = | journal = Biol. Lett. | volume = 2 | issue = 3| pages = 451–454 | doi = 10.1098/rsbl.2006.0467 | pmid = 17148428 | pmc = 1686204 }}</ref> showing the weak points of that DNA research.<ref name=BioLetters/> However, morphological data is at least equivocal, and may also support placement in ''Mammuthus''.<!-- http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/early/2012/05/04/rspb.2012.0671 -->

==== Cyclades ====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Island !! Taxon !! Author
|-
| style="background: lightgreen" | [[Delos]] || ''Palaeoloxodon'' spec. || {{Smallcaps|Vaufrey}}, 1929
|-
| style="background: lightgreen" | [[Naxos]] || ''[[Palaeoloxodon lomolinoi]]'' || {{Smallcaps|Van der Geer}} et al., 2014<ref name="VanderGeer2014">{{cite journal | doi = 10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.04.003| title = A dwarf elephant and a rock mouse on Naxos (Cyclades, Greece) with a revision of the palaeozoogeography of the Cycladic Islands (Greece) during the Pleistocene| journal = Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology| volume = 404| issue = | pages = 133–144 | year = 2014| last1 = Van der Geer | first1 = A. A. E.| last2 = Lyras | first2 = G. A.| last3 = Van den Hoek Ostende | first3 = L. W.| last4 = De Vos | first4 = J.| last5 = Drinia | first5 = H.}}</ref>
|-
| style="background: lightgreen" | [[Paros]] || Elephantidae indet. || {{Smallcaps|Georgalas}}, 1929
|-
| [[Kythnos]] || Elephantidae indet. || {{Smallcaps|Honea}}, 1975
|-
| [[Milos]] || Elephantidae indet. || {{Smallcaps|Papp}}, 1953
|-
| [[Serifos]] || Elephantidae indet. || {{Smallcaps|Papp}}, 1953
|}

{{legend|lightgreen|connected during LGM<ref name="VanderGeer2014"/>}}

Remains of paleoloxodontine elephants have been reported from several Cyclades islands. The Delos elephant's size is comparable to ''Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis''.<ref name="VanderGeer2014"/> The Naxos elephant has been described as ''Palaeoloxodon lomolinoi'' and it was smaller than the Delos elephant with a calculated body mass of only 10 % of that of its mainland ancestor ''Palaeoloxodon antiquus''.<ref name="VanderGeer2014"/>

==== Dodecanese ====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Island !! Taxon !! Author
|-
| [[Astypalaia]] || ''Palaeoloxodon'' spec. || {{Smallcaps|Athanassiou}} et al., 2019<ref>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.06.028| title = Pleistocene insular Proboscidea of the Eastern Mediterranean: A review and update| journal = Quaternary Science Reviews| volume = 218| issue = | pages = 306–321 | year = 2019| last1 = Athanassiou | first1 = A.| last2 = Van der Geer | first2 = A. A. E.| last3 = Lyras | first3 = G. A.}}</ref>
|-
| [[Kasos]] || ''Palaeoloxodon'' [[Species affinis|aff.]] ''creutzburgi'' || {{Smallcaps|Sen}} et al., 2014<ref>{{cite journal | doi = 10.5735/086.051.0204| title = Late Pleistocene Dwarf Elephants from the Aegean Islands of Kassos and Dilos, Greece| journal = Annales Zoologici Fennici| volume = 51| issue = | pages = 27–42 | year = 2014| last1 = Sen | first1 = S.| last2 = Barrier | first2 = E.| last3 = Crété | first3 = X.}}</ref>
|-
| [[Rhodes]] || ''Palaeoloxodon'' spec. || {{Smallcaps|Symeonides}} et al., 1974
|-
| [[Tilos]] || ''[[Palaeoloxodon tiliensis]]'' || ({{Smallcaps|Theodorou}} et al. 2007)<ref name=Theodorou2007>{{cite journal |author1=Theodorou, G.E. |author2=Symeonides, N. |author3=Stathopoulou, E. | year = 2007 | title = ''Elephas tiliensis'' n. sp. from Tilos island (Dodecanese, Greece) | journal = Hellenic Journal of Geosciences | volume = 42 | pages = 19–32}}</ref>
|}

On the island of [[Rhodes]], bones of an endemic dwarf elephant have been discovered. This elephant was similar in size to ''Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis''.

Two groups of remains of dwarf elephants have been found on the island of [[Tilos]]. They are similar in size to ''Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis'' and the smaller ''Palaeoloxodon 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]] | page = 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. The species has been described as ''Elephas tiliensis'' in 2007<ref name=Theodorou2007/> and it is now assigned to genus ''Palaeoloxodon''.

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''.<ref>{{cite journal | last=Poulakakis | first=Nikos | last2=Theodorou | first2=Georgios E. | last3=Zouros | first3=Eleftherios | last4=Mylonas | first4=Moysis | title=Molecular Phylogeny of the Extinct Pleistocene Dwarf Elephant Palaeoloxodon antiquus falconeri from Tilos Island, Dodekanisa, Greece | journal=Journal of Molecular Evolution | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=55 | issue=3 | date=2002-09-01 | issn=0022-2844 | doi=10.1007/s00239-002-2337-x | pages=364–374 | ref=harv | pmid=12187389}}</ref> On the other hand DNA analysis in 2017 conclude that the closest living relative oft the genus ''Palaeoloxodon'' is the [[African forest elephant]] (''Loxodonta cyclotis'').<ref name=Meyer>{{cite journal |last1=Meyer |first1=Matthias |last2=Palkopoulou |first2=Eleftheria |last3=Baleka |first3=Sina |last4=Stiller |first4=Mathias |last5=Penkman |first5=Kirsty E H |author5-link= Kirsty Penkman |last6=Alt |first6=Kurt W |last7=Ishida |first7=Yasuko |last8=Mania |first8=Dietrich |last9=Mallick |first9=Swapan |last10=Meijer |first10=Tom |last11=Meller |first11=Harald |last12=Nagel |first12=Sarah |last13=Nickel |first13=Birgit |last14=Ostritz |first14=Sven |last15=Rohland |first15=Nadin |last16=Schauer |first16=Karol |last17=Schüler |first17=Tim |last18=Roca |first18=Alfred L |last19=Reich |first19=David |last20=Shapiro |first20=Beth |last21=Hofreiter |first21=Michael |title=Palaeogenomes of Eurasian straight-tusked elephants challenge the current view of elephant evolution |journal=eLife |date=6 June 2017 |volume=6 |page=e25413 |doi=10.7554/eLife.25413 |pmid=28585920 |pmc=5461109 |doi-access=free}}</ref> The paper suggests that the current view of elephant evolution is „in need of substantial revision“.<ref name=Meyer/> After the study of new osteological material<ref name=Theodorou2007/> that has been excavated in anatomical connection in the Charkadio Cave on Tilos island the new species name ''Palaeoloxodon tiliensis'' has been assigned to the Tilos dwarf elephants. It was the latest paleoloxodontine to survive in [[Europe]]. They did not become extinct until around 4000 BC, so this elephant survived well into the [[Holocene]]. An exhibition is available at the Municipality of Tilos Island, soon to be transferred to the new building near Charkadio Cave.

=== Cyprus ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Island !! Taxon !! Author
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[Cyprus]] || ''[[Cyprus dwarf elephant|Palaeoloxodon cypriotes]]'' || ({{Smallcaps|Bate}}, 1903)<ref name="Bate1903">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>
|-
| ''[[Palaeoloxodon xylophagou]]'' || {{Smallcaps|Athanassiou}} et al., 2015<ref>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1016/j.quaint.2015.05.065| title = Cranial evidence for the presence of a second endemic elephant species on Cyprus| journal = Quaternary International| volume = 379| issue = | pages = 47–57 | year = 2015| last1 = Athanassiou | first1 = A.| last2 = Herridge | first2 = V.| last3 = Reese | first3 = D. S.| last4 = Iliopoulos | first4 = G.| last5 = Roussiakis | first5 = S.| last6 = Mitsopoulou | first6 = V.| last7 = Tsiolakis | first7 = E.| last8 = Theodorou | first8 = G.}}</ref>
|}

The Cyprus dwarf elephant survived at least until 11,000 BC.<!-- typo? --> Its estimated body weight was only 200&nbsp;kg, only 2% of its 10,000&nbsp;kg ancestor. Molars of this dwarf elephant are reduced to approximately 40% the size of mainland [[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 name="Bate1903"/><ref>Dorothea Bate, ''Cyprus work diary 1901–02'', 3 volumes, Natural History Museum's earth sciences library, palaeontology MSS</ref>

== The Channel Islands of California ==
The [[Mammoth|Columbian mammoth]] (''Mammuthus columbi'') produced a separate, isolated population at the end of the Pleistocene on the [[Channel Islands of California]], 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'').<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-mammoth-fossil-channel-islands-20160915-snap-story.html |title=Well-preserved mammoth skull unearthed on Channel Islands puzzles scientists |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |first=Veronica |last=Rocha |date=16 September 2016 |access-date=24 September 2016}}</ref> Channel Islands mammoths ranged from 150–190&nbsp;cm in shoulder height.

==St. Paul Island and Wrangel Island==
[[File:Rekhmire tomb elephant.jpg|thumb|Detail of a painting in the tomb of [[Rekhmire]] in Egypt, possibly representing a "pygmy mammoth" (lower left) among other animals]]
Mammoths also survived longer on [[Saint Paul Island (Alaska)|Saint Paul Island]] in the [[Bering Sea]] until 6000 BC.<ref>{{cite journal
  | last = Guthrie
  | first = R. Dale
  | title = Radiocarbon evidence of mid-Holocene mammoths stranded on an Alaskan Bering Sea island
  | journal = [[Nature (journal)|Nature]]
  | volume = 429
  | issue = 6993
  | pages = 746–749
  | publisher = [[Nature Publishing Group]]
  | location =
  | date = 2004-06-17
  | doi = 10.1038/nature02612
  | id =
  | pmid = 15201907}}</ref>
Survival of a mammoth population may be explained by local geographic, topographic and climatic features, which entailed preservation of communities of steppe plants, as well as a degree of isolation sufficient to delay colonization by humans. St. Paul Island shares this characteristic of geographic isolation, implying that human hunting may have played a role in the disappearance of the woolly mammoth.

During the last ice age, [[woolly mammoth]]s (''Mammuthus primigenius'') lived on [[Wrangel Island]] in the [[Arctic Ocean]] and survived until 1700 BC, the most recent survival of any known mammoth population. Wrangel Island is thought to have become separated from the mainland by 12000 BC. It was assumed that Wrangel Island mammoths ranged from 180–230&nbsp;cm in shoulder height and were for a time considered "dwarf mammoths".<ref name=Nature>{{cite journal |author1=Vartanyan, S.L. |author2=Garutt, V.E. |author3=Sher, A.V. | 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 | issue=6418 | pmid=29633990}}</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".<ref>{{cite journal|last=Tikhonov |first=Alexei |author2=Larry Agenbroad |author3=Sergey Vartanyan |year=2003 |title=Comparative analysis of the mammoth populations on Wrangel Island and the Channel Islands |journal=Deinsea |volume=9 |pages=415–420 |issn=0923-9308 |url=http://www.nmr.nl/nmr/pages/showPage.do?itemid=1896&instanceid=16 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611113051/http://www.nmr.nl/nmr/pages/showPage.do?itemid=1896&instanceid=16 |archivedate=2012-06-11 }}</ref>

== 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]]. This Stegodon species became extinct about 12,000 years ago, presumably because of a volcanic eruption.

=== Sulawesi ===
The dwarfed ''Stegodon sompoensis'' lived during the Pleistocene on the island of [[Sulawesi]]. They had a shoulder height of only 1.5m.

===Central Java===
In 2014 a dwarf elephant was found in the [[Semedo]] area, [[Tegal Regency|Tegal]], [[Central Java]], so it was named ''Stegodon semedoensis''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/01/fossils-rare-ancient-animals-found-tegal.html |title=Fossils of rare, ancient animals found in Tegal |author=Agus Maryono |date=December 1, 2014}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{portal|Paleontology}}
* [[Borneo 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]
* {{cite journal | last1 = Poulakakis | first1 = N. | last2 = Mylonas | first2 = M. | last3 = Lymberakis | first3 = P. | last4 = Fassoulas | first4 = C. | year = 2002 | title = Origin and taxonomy of the fossil elephants of the island of Crete (Greece): problems and perspectives | url = | journal = Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology | volume = 186 | issue = 1–2| pages = 163–183 | doi = 10.1016/s0031-0182(02)00451-0 }}
* 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.
* {{cite journal |vauthors=Poulakakis N, Theodorou GE, Zouros E, Mylonas M | year = 2002 | title = Molecular phylogeny of the extinct pleistocene dwarf elephant Palaeoloxodon antiquus falconeri from Tilos Island, Dodekanisa, Greece | url = | journal = Journal of Molecular Evolution | volume = 55 | issue = 3| pages = 364–74 | doi = 10.1007/s00239-002-2337-x | pmid = 12187389 }}
* 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. [https://web.archive.org/web/20060626002156/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]
* Theodorou, G.E., Symeonidis N., Stathopoulou E., 2007, Elephas tiliensis n.sp. from Tilos island (Dodekanese, Greece) Hellenic Journal of Geosciences -Annalles Geologiques des Pays Helleniques - Vol. 42, pp.19-32, Athens
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* 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]
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{{Elephants}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dwarf Elephant}}
[[Category:Prehistoric elephants]]
[[Category:Holocene extinctions]]
[[Category:History of Sardinia]]
[[Category:History of Sicily]]
[[Category:Maltese prehistory]]
[[Category:Prehistoric Crete]]
[[Category:Prehistoric Cyprus]]
[[Category:Cyclades]]
[[Category:Dodecanese]]

[[pt:Elefante-pigmeu]]