A Fossil Elephantoid Molar of Palaeoloxodon naumanni (Makiyama) Collected from the Latest Pleistocene Deposits of the Hanamurogawa River, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki, Japan

Abstract

A fossil molar of Palaeoloxodon naumanni (Makiyama) was collected from river beds of the middle reaches of the Hanamurogawa River, eastern part of Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. The fossil molar-bearing horizon is assigned to the uppermost Pleistocene deposits which are dated as approximately 27, 000yrs B. P. by the ¹⁴C method. The specimen is identified as the left upper third molar and is characterized by its long length of crown (331mm) and large number of plates (N=1/2·22·1/2). The specimen is recognized as one of the largest upper molars of P. naumanni, and has a morphological significance for geologic variation of the species.