Palaeoloxodon tiliensis is an extinct species of dwarf elephant belonging to the genus Palaeoloxodon. It was endemic to the small Dodecanese island of Tilos in the Aegean Sea off of the coast of Anatolia during the Late Pleistocene and possibly the Holocene. Remains, comprising over 10,000 specimens, have been found in Charkadio cave. A probable descendant of the large straight-tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus), it has been claimed to have survived as recently as 3,500 years ago based on preliminary radiocarbon dating done in the 1970s, which would make it the youngest surviving dwarf elephant as well as elephant in Europe, but other authors have regarded this dating as unconfirmed.
Remains of elephants were first described from Charkadio cave on Tilos in 1972. The authors of this publication attributed the remains to the species "Palaeoloxodon antiquus melitensis" and "Palaeoloxodon antiquus falconeri", with later publications from 1975 using the names P. antiquus falconeri, and "Palaeoloxodon antiquus mnaidriensis" to refer to the remains, as they assumed that two species were present in the cave (with "P. a. mnaidriensis" suggested to be in lower levels in the cave than "P. a. falconeri"). Other authors argued that only one species existed in the cave, using the name P. antiquus falconeri to refer to it, despite publications following on from a detailed description of the remains in 1983 suggesting that it belonged to its own new species. Further exavations were carried out in the cave until 2007, when the species was given the name Elephas tiliensis.[1] Later studies have generally recognised it as species of the genus Palaeoloxodon as Palaeoloxodon tiliensis.[2][3][4]
Description
Size comparison of a large adult compared to a human
Most remains found within the cave are disarticulated, though relatively complete articulated limbs have been found. The remains span from those of juveniles to adults,[2] with 13,000 to over 15,000 remains in total being excavated from the cave.[5]P. tiliensis was around 10% the size of its large presumed mainland ancestor, the straight-tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus), with a shoulder height of up to 1.9 metres (6.2ft), with a body mass of 630–890 kilograms (1,390–1,960lb).[4] Its smaller body size compared to its ancestor was the result of insular dwarfism, which causes the body size of animals to reduce on islands due to the reduction in food, predation and competition.[4] The molar teeth had around 11 plates, lower than the number present in the molars of P. antiquus. The limb bones were relatively slender, suggesting that it was adapted to moving on steep terrain. The shape of the metatarsals and metacarpals is also different from other Palaeoloxodon species.[5] The species appears to have been sexually dimorphic based on the presence of two distinct size clusters among adult remains, with the larger morph likely representing males as in living elephants.[1][2] Analysis of its petrosal bone and inner ear suggests that it was similar to that of its ancestor.[3]
Remains of Palaeoloxodon tiliensis are entirely found within Charkadio Cave, which located on the small 60 square kilometres (23sqmi) island of Tilos, one of the Dodecanese islands off the southwestern coast of Anatolia (modern Turkey).[2] The small island has a highly rugged terrain.[6] The ancestors of P. tiliensis probably swam from mainland Anatolia or island hopped from adjacent islands, both of which required swimming across several kilometers of open water, over 20 kilometres (12mi) considering a direct migration from Anatolia from Tilos, even considering lowered sea level during glacial periods,[6] Based on prelimary radiocarbon dating done in the 1970s, it was proposed that P. tiliensis inhabited the island from around 50,000 years ago until around 3,500 years ago (around 1500 BC), which if confirmed would place P. tiliensis as the youngest surviving elephant in Europe. However, recent authors have suggested that this date (which would place the extinction of the elephants in the late Bronze Age) as tentative and awaiting proper confirmation.[4] Remains of fallow deer have also been found in the cave, but they only appear in earlier stratigraphic layers and appear to have become extinct before the arrival of the elephants.[6][7] Remains of other animals found in the cave in layers contemporaneous with the elephants include the living marginated tortoise (Testudo marginata), and various birds,[7] with remains of several bat species having also been reported from the cave.[8]
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