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{{Short description|Extinct genus of mammals}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Taxobox
{{Taxobox
| name = ''Choerolophodon''
| name = ''Choerolophodon''
| fossil_range = [[Miocene]], {{Fossil range|11.6|5.3}}
| fossil_range = [[Miocene]], {{Fossil range|19|5.3}}
| image = Choerolophodon sp.jpg
| image = Choerolophodon sp.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_width = 250px
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'''''Choerolophodon''''' is an extinct genus of [[proboscidea]]n that lived during the [[Miocene]] of [[Eurasia]] and Africa. Fossils of ''Choerolophodon'' have been found in Africa, Southeast Europe, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, the Indian subcontinent, and China.<ref>Chunxiao Li, Shi-Qi Wang, Dimila Mothé & Xijun Ni (2019) New fossils of early and middle Miocene Choerolophodon from northern China reveal a Holarctic distribution of Choerolophodontidae, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2019.1618864</ref><ref>Sankhyan, Anek R. and Chavasseau, Olivier. 2018. New proboscidean fossils from Middle Siwaliks of Haritalyangar area, Himachal Pradesh, India. Palaeontologia Electronica 21.1.15A 1-12. https://doi.org/10.26879/844 palaeo-electronica.org/content/2018/2200-haritalyangar-proboscideans</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Wang |first1=S. |last2=Deng |first2=T. |year=2011 |title=The first Choerolophodon (Proboscidea, Gomphotheriidae) skull from China |journal=Science China Earth Sciences |volume=54 |issue=9 |pages=1326 |doi=10.1007/s11430-011-4201-6|s2cid=131674259 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=28 August 2019 |title=Tek parça halinde ve 7.5 milyon yıllık! Kayseri'de bulundu - Habertürk |url=https://www.haberturk.com/kayseri-de-tek-parca-halinde-mamut-fosili-bulundu-2517111 |access-date=9 September 2019 |website=Haberturk.com |publisher=[[Habertürk]] |language=tr}}</ref> ''Choerolophodon'' has a single pair of tusks growing from the upper jaw, which are long and strongly curved.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Konidaris |first1=George E. |last2=Koufos |first2=George D. |orig-date=March 2013 |title=Late Miocene Proboscidea (Mammalia) from Macedonia and Samos Island, Greece: preliminary results |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12542-012-0147-z |journal=Paläontologische Zeitschrift |year=2013 |language=en |volume=87 |issue=1 |pages=121–140 |doi=10.1007/s12542-012-0147-z |s2cid=128764592 |issn=0031-0220}}</ref>
'''''Choerolophodon''''' is an extinct genus of [[proboscidea]]n that lived during the [[Miocene]] of [[Eurasia]] and Africa. Fossils of ''Choerolophodon'' have been found in Africa, Southeast Europe, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, the Indian subcontinent, and China.<ref name=":0">Chunxiao Li, Shi-Qi Wang, Dimila Mothé & Xijun Ni (2019) New fossils of early and middle Miocene Choerolophodon from northern China reveal a Holarctic distribution of Choerolophodontidae, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2019.1618864</ref><ref>Sankhyan, Anek R. and Chavasseau, Olivier. 2018. New proboscidean fossils from Middle Siwaliks of Haritalyangar area, Himachal Pradesh, India. Palaeontologia Electronica 21.1.15A 1-12. https://doi.org/10.26879/844 palaeo-electronica.org/content/2018/2200-haritalyangar-proboscideans</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Wang |first1=S. |last2=Deng |first2=T. |year=2011 |title=The first Choerolophodon (Proboscidea, Gomphotheriidae) skull from China |journal=Science China Earth Sciences |volume=54 |issue=9 |pages=1326 |doi=10.1007/s11430-011-4201-6|bibcode=2011ScChD..54.1326W |s2cid=131674259 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=28 August 2019 |title=Tek parça halinde ve 7.5 milyon yıllık! Kayseri'de bulundu - Habertürk |url=https://www.haberturk.com/kayseri-de-tek-parca-halinde-mamut-fosili-bulundu-2517111 |access-date=9 September 2019 |website=Haberturk.com |publisher=[[Habertürk]] |language=tr}}</ref>

== Description ==
The tusks growing from the upper jaw are long and strongly curved,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Konidaris |first1=George E. |last2=Koufos |first2=George D. |year=2013 |orig-date=March 2013 |title=Late Miocene Proboscidea (Mammalia) from Macedonia and Samos Island, Greece: preliminary results |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12542-012-0147-z |journal=Paläontologische Zeitschrift |language=en |volume=87 |issue=1 |pages=121–140 |doi=10.1007/s12542-012-0147-z |bibcode=2013PalZ...87..121K |issn=0031-0220 |s2cid=128764592}}</ref> with one large mostly complete tusk from the [[Chalkidiki]] Peninsula of Greece having a total length of around {{Convert|2.5|m|ft}}, with a likely total weight when complete of around {{Convert|70|kg|lb}}.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Larramendi |first=Asier |date=2023-12-10 |title=Estimating tusk masses in proboscideans: a comprehensive analysis and predictive model |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2023.2286272 |journal=Historical Biology |language=en |pages=1–14 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2023.2286272 |issn=0891-2963}}</ref> The molar teeth are trilophodont and [[bunodont]]. The half-lophids are chevroned. The accessory conules are multiplied (choerodont), and the enamel is corrugated (ptychodont).<ref name=":1">{{Citation |last1=Konidaris |first1=George E. |title=The Fossil Record of the Neogene Proboscidea (Mammalia) in Greece |date=2022 |url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-030-68398-6_12 |work=Fossil Vertebrates of Greece Vol. 1 |pages=299–344 |editor-last=Vlachos |editor-first=Evangelos |access-date=2023-03-25 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-68398-6_12 |isbn=978-3-030-68397-9 |last2=Tsoukala |first2=Evangelia|s2cid=245023119 }}</ref> The lower jaw has an unusual combination of being long, but lacking tusks/incisors, a trait only shared among proboscideans with the North American [[gomphothere]] genera ''[[Eubelodon]]'' and ''[[Gnathabelodon]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mothé |first1=Dimila |last2=Ferretti |first2=Marco P. |last3=Avilla |first3=Leonardo S. |date=12 January 2016 |title=The Dance of Tusks: Rediscovery of Lower Incisors in the Pan-American Proboscidean Cuvieronius hyodon Revises Incisor Evolution in Elephantimorpha |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=11 |issue=1 |page=e0147009 |bibcode=2016PLoSO..1147009M |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0147009 |pmc=4710528 |pmid=26756209 |doi-access=free}}</ref>'' It has been suggested that instead of teeth, the end of the lower jaw housed a keratinous cutting blade.<ref>{{Cite report |url=http://biorxiv.org/lookup/doi/10.1101/2023.08.15.553347 |title=Longer mandible or nose? Co-evolution of feeding organs in early elephantiforms |last1=Li |first1=Chunxiao |last2=Deng |first2=Tao |date=2023-08-16 |publisher=Paleontology |doi=10.1101/2023.08.15.553347 |language=en |last3=Wang |first3=Yang |last4=Sun |first4=Fajun |last5=Wolff |first5=Burt |last6=Jiangzuo |first6=Qigao |last7=Ma |first7=Jiao |last8=Xing |first8=Luda |last9=Fu |first9=Jiao}}</ref>


==Taxonomy==
==Taxonomy==
[[File:Choerolophodon.jpg|thumb|left|Restoration]]
[[File:Choerolophodon.jpg|thumb|left|Restoration]]
Numerous species of ''Choerolophodon'' are known: ''C. pentelicus'', ''C. anatolicus'' and ''C. chioticus'' from [[Southeast Europe]] (Turkey (Yamula Dam in [[Kayseri]]), Greece, Bulgaria) and the [[Middle East]], ''C. palaeindicus'' and ''C. corrugatus'' from the [[Indian subcontinent]], ''C. guangheensis'' from China, and ''C. ngorora'' and ''C. zaltaniensis'' from Africa.<ref>George E. Konidaris, George D. Koufos, Dimitris S. Kostopoulos & Gildas Merceron (2016) Taxonomy, biostratigraphy and palaeoecology of Choerolophodon (Proboscidea, Mammalia) in the Miocene of SE Europe-SW Asia: implications for phylogeny and biogeography, Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 14:1, 1-27, DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2014.985339</ref> The name ''Choerolophodon'' was erected for ''"Mastodon" pentelicus'' from Greece by Schlesinger (1917) based on the discovery of new material from the ''pentelicus'' type locality.<ref>Schlesinger, G., 1917. Die Mastodonten des K. K. Naturhistorischen Hofmuseums. ''Denkschriften des K. K. Naturhistorischen Hofmuseums'' '''1''':1-230.</ref> ''Choerolophodon'' is considered to be the most basal member of [[Elephantida]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Baleka |first=Sina |last2=Varela |first2=Luciano |last3=Tambusso |first3=P. Sebastián |last4=Paijmans |first4=Johanna L.A. |last5=Mothé |first5=Dimila |last6=Stafford |first6=Thomas W. |last7=Fariña |first7=Richard A. |last8=Hofreiter |first8=Michael |date=January 2022 |title=Revisiting proboscidean phylogeny and evolution through total evidence and palaeogenetic analyses including Notiomastodon ancient DNA |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2589004221015297 |journal=iScience |language=en |volume=25 |issue=1 |pages=103559 |doi=10.1016/j.isci.2021.103559 |pmc=8693454 |pmid=34988402}}</ref>[[File:Choerolophodon molar.jpg|thumb|left|Molar]]
Numerous species of ''Choerolophodon'' are known: ''C. pentelicus'', ''C. anatolicus'' and ''C. chioticus'' from [[Southeast Europe]] (Turkey (Yamula Dam in [[Kayseri]]), Greece, Bulgaria) and the [[Middle East]], ''C. palaeindicus'' and ''C. corrugatus'' from the [[Indian subcontinent]], ''C. guangheensis'' from China, and ''C. ngorora'' and ''C. zaltaniensis'' from Africa.<ref name=":2">George E. Konidaris, George D. Koufos, Dimitris S. Kostopoulos & Gildas Merceron (2016) Taxonomy, biostratigraphy and palaeoecology of Choerolophodon (Proboscidea, Mammalia) in the Miocene of SE Europe-SW Asia: implications for phylogeny and biogeography, Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 14:1, 1-27, DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2014.985339</ref> The name ''Choerolophodon'' was erected for ''"Mastodon" pentelicus'' from Greece by Schlesinger (1917) based on the discovery of new material from the ''pentelicus'' type locality.<ref>Schlesinger, G., 1917. Die Mastodonten des K. K. Naturhistorischen Hofmuseums. ''Denkschriften des K. K. Naturhistorischen Hofmuseums'' '''1''':1-230.</ref> A 2022 study considered ''Choerolophodon'' to be a basal member of [[Elephantida]], with [[Amebelodontidae]] and [[Gomphotheriidae]] more closely related to each other than either is to ''Choerolophodon''.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Baleka |first1=Sina |last2=Varela |first2=Luciano |last3=Tambusso |first3=P. Sebastián |last4=Paijmans |first4=Johanna L.A. |last5=Mothé |first5=Dimila |last6=Stafford |first6=Thomas W. |last7=Fariña |first7=Richard A. |last8=Hofreiter |first8=Michael |date=January 2022 |title=Revisiting proboscidean phylogeny and evolution through total evidence and palaeogenetic analyses including Notiomastodon ancient DNA |journal=iScience |language=en |volume=25 |issue=1 |pages=103559 |doi=10.1016/j.isci.2021.103559 |pmc=8693454 |pmid=34988402|bibcode=2022iSci...25j3559B }}</ref>

== Cultural significance ==


== Ecology ==
=== Possible influence on Greek myths ===
Dental microwear analysis of specimens from Greece suggest that these individuals were [[Grazing (behaviour)|grazers]],<ref name=":2" /> while mesowear analysis of specimens from East Africa suggest varying browsing and grazing-dominated mixed feeding diets, depending on locality.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Saarinen |first1=Juha |last2=Lister |first2=Adrian M. |date=2023-08-14 |title=Fluctuating climate and dietary innovation drove ratcheted evolution of proboscidean dental traits |journal=Nature Ecology & Evolution |volume=7 |issue=9 |pages=1490–1502 |language=en |doi=10.1038/s41559-023-02151-4 |issn=2397-334X|doi-access=free |pmid=37580434 |pmc=10482678 |bibcode=2023NatEE...7.1490S }}</ref>
''Choerolophodon'' is among the fossil proboscideans represented in the Miocene-age deposits on the Greek island of [[Samos]], alongside ''[[Konobelodon]]'' and ''[[Deinotherium]].''<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Konidaris |first1=George E. |last2=Koufos |first2=George D. |date=2019-03-01 |title=Late Miocene proboscideans from Samos Island (Greece) revisited: new specimens from old collections |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s12542-018-0432-6 |journal=PalZ |language=en |volume=93 |issue=1 |pages=115–134 |doi=10.1007/s12542-018-0432-6 |s2cid=133779567 |issn=1867-6812}}</ref> [[Adrienne Mayor]] and [[Nikos Solounias]] have speculated that these taxa may have influenced local legends of the island's deep history, serving as inspiration for gigantic mythical monsters called [[Neades]], creatures whose voices were believed to cause earthquakes. Mayor and Solounias base their speculation on the fact that the fossils on Samos are found near a major [[Fault (geology)|fault zone]], suggesting that ancient Greeks may have interpreted the presence of their skeletal remains as being associated with past seismic activity in the region.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Solounias |first1=Nikos |last2=Ring |first2=Uwe |date=2007 |title=Samos Island, Part II: Ancient history of the Samos fossils and the record of earthquakes |url=http://virtualexplorer.com.au/doi/00179 |journal=Journal of the Virtual Explorer |language=en |volume=27 |doi=10.3809/jvirtex.2007.00179 |issn=1441-8142}}</ref> Ancient sources attest that the bones of these creatures were put on display and that their stories inspired local expressions such as "They shout louder than the Neades!"<ref>[[Claudius Aelianus|Aelian]], [[De Natura Animalium]], [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0590%3Abook%3D17%3Achapter%3D28 17.28].</ref>


== Evolution ==
Mayor and Solounias also suggest that these fossils may have inspired another story of the god [[Dionysus]] waging war with the [[Amazons]] on Samos, drawing similar comparisons between the island's geology and a description by [[Plutarch]] of this mythic fight. In this story, their skeletal remains are interpreted as belonging to the victims of this ancient war, who like the Neades were able to rend the earth when they cried out in death.<ref name=":0" /> They argue that ancient residents of Samos were aware of both the island's fossil record and its geology, and that these stories were early attempts to make sense of the two.<ref>{{Cite book |first=Adrienne |last=Mayor |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/910018702 |title=The First Fossil Hunters : Dinosaurs, Mammoths, and Myth in Greek and Roman Times. |date=2011 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-1-4008-3844-8 |oclc=910018702}}</ref>
The genus is first known during the Early Miocene in Africa and South Asia. They subsequently dispersed across Asia and into southeast Europe. The genus became extinct at the end of the Miocene.<ref name=":1" />[[File:Choerolophodon molar.jpg|thumb|left|Molar]]


==References==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


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[[Category:Mammals of the Middle East]]
[[Category:Mammals of the Middle East]]
[[Category:Mammals of South Asia]]
[[Category:Mammals of South Asia]]
[[Category:Fossils of Iraq]]

Latest revision as of 00:49, 2 January 2024

Choerolophodon
Temporal range: Miocene, 19–5.3 Ma
Skull
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Genus:
Choerolophodon

Species
  • C. pentelici (Gaudry and Lartet, 1856) (type)
  • C. anatolicus (Ozansoy 1965)
  • C. palaeindicus (Lydekker, 1894)
  • C. corrugatus (Pilgrim, 1913)
  • C. chioticus Tobien, 1980
  • C. guangheensis Wang and Deng, 2011
  • C. ngorora (Maglio, 1974)
  • C. zaltaniensis Gaziry, 1987
Synonyms
  • Mastodon pentelicus Gaudry and Lartet, 1856

Choerolophodon is an extinct genus of proboscidean that lived during the Miocene of Eurasia and Africa. Fossils of Choerolophodon have been found in Africa, Southeast Europe, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, the Indian subcontinent, and China.[1][2][3][4]

Description

[edit]

The tusks growing from the upper jaw are long and strongly curved,[5] with one large mostly complete tusk from the Chalkidiki Peninsula of Greece having a total length of around 2.5 metres (8.2 ft), with a likely total weight when complete of around 70 kilograms (150 lb).[6] The molar teeth are trilophodont and bunodont. The half-lophids are chevroned. The accessory conules are multiplied (choerodont), and the enamel is corrugated (ptychodont).[7] The lower jaw has an unusual combination of being long, but lacking tusks/incisors, a trait only shared among proboscideans with the North American gomphothere genera Eubelodon and Gnathabelodon.[8] It has been suggested that instead of teeth, the end of the lower jaw housed a keratinous cutting blade.[9]

Taxonomy

[edit]
Restoration

Numerous species of Choerolophodon are known: C. pentelicus, C. anatolicus and C. chioticus from Southeast Europe (Turkey (Yamula Dam in Kayseri), Greece, Bulgaria) and the Middle East, C. palaeindicus and C. corrugatus from the Indian subcontinent, C. guangheensis from China, and C. ngorora and C. zaltaniensis from Africa.[10] The name Choerolophodon was erected for "Mastodon" pentelicus from Greece by Schlesinger (1917) based on the discovery of new material from the pentelicus type locality.[11] A 2022 study considered Choerolophodon to be a basal member of Elephantida, with Amebelodontidae and Gomphotheriidae more closely related to each other than either is to Choerolophodon.[12]

Ecology

[edit]

Dental microwear analysis of specimens from Greece suggest that these individuals were grazers,[10] while mesowear analysis of specimens from East Africa suggest varying browsing and grazing-dominated mixed feeding diets, depending on locality.[13]

Evolution

[edit]

The genus is first known during the Early Miocene in Africa and South Asia. They subsequently dispersed across Asia and into southeast Europe. The genus became extinct at the end of the Miocene.[7]

Molar

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Chunxiao Li, Shi-Qi Wang, Dimila Mothé & Xijun Ni (2019) New fossils of early and middle Miocene Choerolophodon from northern China reveal a Holarctic distribution of Choerolophodontidae, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2019.1618864
  2. ^ Sankhyan, Anek R. and Chavasseau, Olivier. 2018. New proboscidean fossils from Middle Siwaliks of Haritalyangar area, Himachal Pradesh, India. Palaeontologia Electronica 21.1.15A 1-12. https://doi.org/10.26879/844 palaeo-electronica.org/content/2018/2200-haritalyangar-proboscideans
  3. ^ Wang, S.; Deng, T. (2011). "The first Choerolophodon (Proboscidea, Gomphotheriidae) skull from China". Science China Earth Sciences. 54 (9): 1326. Bibcode:2011ScChD..54.1326W. doi:10.1007/s11430-011-4201-6. S2CID 131674259.
  4. ^ "Tek parça halinde ve 7.5 milyon yıllık! Kayseri'de bulundu - Habertürk". Haberturk.com (in Turkish). Habertürk. 28 August 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  5. ^ Konidaris, George E.; Koufos, George D. (2013) [March 2013]. "Late Miocene Proboscidea (Mammalia) from Macedonia and Samos Island, Greece: preliminary results". Paläontologische Zeitschrift. 87 (1): 121–140. Bibcode:2013PalZ...87..121K. doi:10.1007/s12542-012-0147-z. ISSN 0031-0220. S2CID 128764592.
  6. ^ Larramendi, Asier (2023-12-10). "Estimating tusk masses in proboscideans: a comprehensive analysis and predictive model". Historical Biology: 1–14. doi:10.1080/08912963.2023.2286272. ISSN 0891-2963.
  7. ^ a b Konidaris, George E.; Tsoukala, Evangelia (2022), Vlachos, Evangelos (ed.), "The Fossil Record of the Neogene Proboscidea (Mammalia) in Greece", Fossil Vertebrates of Greece Vol. 1, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 299–344, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-68398-6_12, ISBN 978-3-030-68397-9, S2CID 245023119, retrieved 2023-03-25
  8. ^ Mothé, Dimila; Ferretti, Marco P.; Avilla, Leonardo S. (12 January 2016). "The Dance of Tusks: Rediscovery of Lower Incisors in the Pan-American Proboscidean Cuvieronius hyodon Revises Incisor Evolution in Elephantimorpha". PLOS ONE. 11 (1): e0147009. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1147009M. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0147009. PMC 4710528. PMID 26756209.
  9. ^ Li, Chunxiao; Deng, Tao; Wang, Yang; Sun, Fajun; Wolff, Burt; Jiangzuo, Qigao; Ma, Jiao; Xing, Luda; Fu, Jiao (2023-08-16). Longer mandible or nose? Co-evolution of feeding organs in early elephantiforms (Report). Paleontology. doi:10.1101/2023.08.15.553347.
  10. ^ a b George E. Konidaris, George D. Koufos, Dimitris S. Kostopoulos & Gildas Merceron (2016) Taxonomy, biostratigraphy and palaeoecology of Choerolophodon (Proboscidea, Mammalia) in the Miocene of SE Europe-SW Asia: implications for phylogeny and biogeography, Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 14:1, 1-27, DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2014.985339
  11. ^ Schlesinger, G., 1917. Die Mastodonten des K. K. Naturhistorischen Hofmuseums. Denkschriften des K. K. Naturhistorischen Hofmuseums 1:1-230.
  12. ^ Baleka, Sina; Varela, Luciano; Tambusso, P. Sebastián; Paijmans, Johanna L.A.; Mothé, Dimila; Stafford, Thomas W.; Fariña, Richard A.; Hofreiter, Michael (January 2022). "Revisiting proboscidean phylogeny and evolution through total evidence and palaeogenetic analyses including Notiomastodon ancient DNA". iScience. 25 (1): 103559. Bibcode:2022iSci...25j3559B. doi:10.1016/j.isci.2021.103559. PMC 8693454. PMID 34988402.
  13. ^ Saarinen, Juha; Lister, Adrian M. (2023-08-14). "Fluctuating climate and dietary innovation drove ratcheted evolution of proboscidean dental traits". Nature Ecology & Evolution. 7 (9): 1490–1502. Bibcode:2023NatEE...7.1490S. doi:10.1038/s41559-023-02151-4. ISSN 2397-334X. PMC 10482678. PMID 37580434.