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ARTICLE IN PRESS
122 M.R. Palombo, M.P. Ferretti / Quaternary International 126–128 (2005) 107–136

Fig. 11. E. (P.) antiquus, from various Italian localities. (A) La Polledrara di Cecanibbio (Torre in Pietra FU, late Middle Pleistocene), PCS 3412,
skull, anterior view; (B–C) Pignataro Interamna (Torre in Pietra FU, late Middle Pleistocene), MPN, juvenile skull; (B) anterior view; (C) left lateral
view.

limb) were found in the Spinagallo cave (Ambrosetti, suggest a close relationship with E. (P.) antiquus.
1968; MPR); at least 104 individuals are represented; the Eventhough extremely reduced in size, M3–m3 of E.
abundance of young and very young specimens is falconeri possess up to 15–16 plates (Ambrosetti, 1968).
remarkable. The extreme body size reduction undergone Elephant samples from various Sicilian localities,
by E. falconeri (estimated adult height ca. 0.9–1.10 m) characterized by a body size intermediate between that
strongly affected the skull architecture and modified the of E. falconeri and E. (P.) antiquus are commonly
morphology of the molars. Nevertheless, the shape of ascribed to E. (P.) mnaidriensis, a species based on
the tusk alveoli of males (Figs. 13c and d, molar occlusal material from Malta (Adams, 1874). As a matter of fact,
wear pattern and Schreger line pattern of the tusks however, attribution of the Sicilian form to E. (P.)
(Ferretti, 1998; Palombo et al., 2004; Palombo, in press) mnaidriensis is based solely on the similar size between