Fossil elephants (Proboscidea, Elephantidae) from Buia (Northern Afar depression, Eritrea) and the evolution of Elephas (Palaeoloxodon) recki

A succession of five fossiliferous levels near Buia in the northern Danakil (Afar) Depression of Eritrea has produced an abundant early Pleistocene fauna including a ca. 1.0 Ma cranium of Homo. Elephas is well represented at many sites; with one exception the entire Buia Elephas sample represents a relatively derived member of the Elephas recki lineage. Univariate and multivariate analysis of dental characters demonstrates that the Buia sample is intermediate between E. recki ileretensis (Koobi Fora, Ileret) and E. r. recki (Beds 3 and 4 at Olduvai). The biologic reality of the separation of E. recki into five chronologically successive subspecies is questionable. Our analysis supports the hypothesis that E. r. ileretensis and E. r. recki form a single phyletic lineage.