Stegodon Luzonensis: Elephant relatives once lived in the Philippines!

Stegodonts were present from 11.6 mya to 4,100 years ago.

Stegodon belongs to Family Stegodontidae of Order Proboscidae, where the elephant family also belong. The most distinguishing external feature of this order is the elongated, flexible and muscular trunk or proboscis (a great elongation of the nose).

Stegodon had a larger skull and lower-crowned teeth than present-day elephants.

Mr. Sylvio M. Lopez, a paleontologist in the National Museum, collected the molar. It was found in a Middle Pleistocene tuffaceous sediments called Awidon Mesa Formation near the boundaries of Solana, Cagayan and Rizal, Kalinga Apayao in August 1973.

http://www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph/nationalmuseumbeta/Collections/Geology/Stegodon.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stegodon
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