page_title: Mammuthus creticus
hierarchical_section_title: Mammuthus creticus
caption_attribution_description: Elephas creticus Bate = Mammuthus / Elephas creticus (Bate, 1907) English: Cretan Dwarf Elephant/Mammoth teeth Inner side of posterior part of second/anterior part of third lower right molar (specimen NHM M.9383a), ¾ natural size Unworn molar plates (specimen NHM M.9379), natural size Crown view of right third lower molar (holotype specimen NHM M.9381), ¾ natural size
context_page_description: Mammuthus creticus, or the Cretan dwarf mammoth, is an extinct species of dwarf mammoth. With a shoulder height of about 1 m and a weight of about 310 kg, it was the smallest mammoth that ever existed.
  After DNA research published in 2006, it was proposed to rename Palaeoloxodon creticus into Mammuthus creticus. Others proposed to rename all the described specimens of larger size under the new subspecies name Elephas antiquus creutzburgi. In a study of 2007, it was argued for the groundlessness of the theory by Poulakakis et al. in 2006, showing the weak points of that DNA research. However, morphological data is at least equivocal, and may also support placement in Mammuthus.
  Skulls of Cretan mammoths or of other dwarf elephant species on Mediterranean islands have been suggested as the basis for the ancient Greek myth of Cyclopes.
context_section_description: Mammuthus creticus, or the Cretan dwarf mammoth, is an extinct species of dwarf mammoth. With a shoulder height of about 1 m and a weight of about 310 kg, it was the smallest mammoth that ever existed.
  After DNA research published in 2006, it was proposed to rename Palaeoloxodon creticus into Mammuthus creticus (Bate, 1907). Others proposed (in 2002) to rename all the described specimens of larger size under the new subspecies name Elephas antiquus creutzburgi (Kuss, 1965). In a study of 2007, it was argued for the groundlessness of the theory by Poulakakis et al. in 2006, showing the weak points of that DNA research. However, morphological data is at least equivocal, and may also support placement in Mammuthus.
  Skulls of Cretan mammoths or of other dwarf elephant species on Mediterranean islands have been suggested as the basis for the ancient Greek myth of Cyclopes.
caption: Teeth
exif: {}