Description

Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis was a dwarf elephant species native to the Siculo-Maltese archipelago during the Middle to Late Pleistocene. It evolved from the larger mainland straight-tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus), undergoing significant size reduction—a common phenomenon known as insular dwarfism. Despite its smaller stature, P. mnaidriensis retained characteristic features of its ancestors, such as a well-developed parieto-occipital crest on the skull. Its teeth were about 30% the size of those of P. antiquus, with thicker enamel and a higher density of lamellae.

This species represents a remarkable example of insular dwarfism — the evolutionary process by which large mainland animals shrink dramatically in size when isolated on islands with limited resources. Palaeoloxodon mnaidriensis descended from Palaeoloxodon antiquus, the massive straight-tusked elephant that once roamed Europe.

Once established on the islands of Sicily and Malta, the population adapted to constrained landscapes and scarce vegetation. Adult P. mnaidriensis stood only 1.8–2 m tall at the shoulder — barely one-third the height of its ancestor. Despite its small size, it retained the distinctive straight tusks, high-domed skull, and shortened limbs of its lineage.

Fossils from limestone caves and coastal deposits show that the species persisted for tens of thousands of years, coexisting with other dwarf fauna, including tiny hippopotamuses and giant swans. Its extinction likely coincided with the arrival of humans in the central Mediterranean and climatic changes near the end of the last glacial period.