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Cranial and dental remains of Deinotherium bozasi (Mammalia: Proboscidea) from East Rudolf, Kenya
Author(s) -
Harris John M.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of zoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0952-8369
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1976.tb02263.x
Subject(s) - postcrania , skull , biology , cranial vault , taxon , proboscidea , zoology , ecology , paleontology
A skull, three immature mandibles and a number of isolated teeth belonging to Deinotherium bozasi have been collected from Plio‐Pleistocene sediments to the east of Lake Rudolf, Kenya. D. bozasi is the youngest representative of the family Deinotheriidae and the skull is the most complete yet found of this taxon. The East Rudolf specimens are contrasted with comparable specimens of Prodeinotherium hobleyi from East and North Africa and of Deinotherium giganteum from Europe. The size and morphology of the cranial vault of the East Rudolf skull confirms allocation to the genus Deinotherium but other dental and cranial evidence confirms taxonomic differentiation from D. giganteum and direct descent from P. hobleyi. Although the postcranial elements of D. bozasi are poorly known it is considered unlikely that this species developed the cursorial adaptations of D. giganteum. The extinction of D. bozasi is attributable to major changes in ecologic conditions towards the end of the early Pleistocene.