Palaeoloxodon falconeri

Extinct species of elephant

Palaeoloxodon falconeri is an extinct species of dwarf elephant from the Middle Pleistocene (around 500–200,000 years ago) of Sicily and Malta. It is amongst the smallest of all dwarf elephants at only in height. A member of the genus Palaeoloxodon, it derived from a population of the mainland European straight tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus).

Palaeoloxodon falconeri derives from the 4 metre tall straight tusked elephant (P. antiquus), which arrived in Europe approximately 800,000 years ago. The oldest radiometrically dated fossils of Palaeoloxodon on Sicily date to around 500,000 years ago. P. falconeri'''s ancestors most likely reached Sicily from the Italian mainland, likely via a series of islands that now form part of the southern Calabrian peninsula. suggested to date to approximately 200,000 years ago. P. falconeri also occurs on Malta, but is generally shorter making it a possible subspecies. It likely dispersed to Malta from Sicily during episodes of low sea level. The chronology of Maltese localities is poorly constrained. The species Elephas/Palaeoloxodon melitensis, formerly considered a distinct species, is now considered a synonym of P. falconeri.

This island bound elephant is considered to be an example of insular dwarfism, with adult individuals around the size of modern elephant calves. In a 2015 study of specimens from Spinagallo Cave, a composite adult male specimen MPUR/V n1 was estimated to measure in shoulder height about in weight, a composite adult female specimen MPUR/V n2 in shoulder height and about in weight, and a composite newborn male specimen MPUR/V n3 in shoulder height and about in weight. A later 2019 volumetric study revised the weight estimates for the adult male and adult female to about and respectively. The newborn male of the species was estimated in the same study to weigh Dental microwear suggests that P. falconeri was a mixed feeder (both browsing and grazing).

Sicily and Malta during the time of P. falconeri exhibited a depauperate fauna, with the only other terrestrial mammal species on the islands being the cat sized giant dormouse Leithia (the largest dormouse ever) as well as the giant dormouse Maltamys, the otter Nesolutra, and the shrew Crocidura esuae which is possibly the ancestor of the living Sicilian shrew, C. sicula though this is disputed (the presence of a fox of the genus Vulpes has been suggested but is unconfirmed).'' Sicily was also inhabited by a variety of bird species, as well as frogs (Discoglossus, Bufotes, Hyla), lizards (Lacerta), snakes (Hierophis, Natrix), pond turtles, tortoises (including Solitudo and Hermann's tortoise), and bats.''