Elephas platycephalus Temporal range: Middle Pleistocene | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Proboscidea |
Family: | Elephantidae |
Genus: | Elephas |
Species: | †E. platycephalus |
Binomial name | |
†Elephas platycephalus Osborn, 1929 | |
Synonyms | |
Platelephas platycephalus |
Elephas platycephalus is an extinct species of large herbivorous mammals that were closely related to Asian elephants. It lived between 130,000 and 700,000 years ago during the Middle Pleistocene epoch. [1] Fossils have been found in the upper Sivalik Hills. [2]
Author and researcher Vincent Maglio suspected that another species, Mammuthus meridionalis (syn. Elephas planifrons), was a direct ancestor of E. platycephalus since both of the species appear quite similar. However, upon closely studying the fronto-parietal region of the skull as well as upper molars of the specimens belonging to both species, it was concluded that the two species differed radically. [3]
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