Elephas chaniensis

The endemic Pleistocene Probosciea who lived on Crete includes species of different sizes, with a height from 1,5m. up to 3,5m., but none reached the height of the continental fossil elephants.

Many names have been used for the cretan elephants, but their study is not completed yet.

Fossils of the quite large  Elephas chaniensis have been found in submerged caves in the village of Vamos (Chania) and represent different climatic conditions from today's, when the sea level was tens of meters lower than today.

The elephants of Rethymnon, for which the name Elephas creutzburgi is used, had a medium size and were abundant in coastal caves of the area.

The cretan elephants can easily be connected with the muth of the Cyclops, since they have a big hole in front of their head from where the trunk grows.