Elephas planifrons

Elephas planifrons is an extinct species of elephant known from the Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene of the Indian subcontinent and probably South East Asia, in Java, Indonesia. It represents one of the earliest dispersals of elephants outside Africa, first arriving on the Indian subcontinent around 3.6 million years ago, although some authors have suggested a much earlier age. The date of its last record is highly uncertain, with estimates from 2.5 million to 800,000 years ago. The number of lamellae on its third molars is typically 11 to 15, and unlike living Asian elephants it retained permanent premolars. Isotopic evidence suggests a grazing based diet. It may be closely related to the Indonesian dwarf elephant genus Stegoloxodon, and a 2020 thesis suggested that it should instead be placed in Phanagoroloxodon, a view that a 2023 publication by William J. Sanders called needless overreach.