Eritreum fossil map
Where fossils of Eritreum have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 30 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 30 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 33.9–23.04 million years ago (Rupelian to Chattian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Named by | Shoshani et al. 2006 |
| Fossil records | 2 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Eritrea |
| Rock formations | Dogali |
About Eritreum
Eritreum melakeghebrekristosi is an extinct species of proboscidean mammal, which lived in Northeast Africa during the late Oligocene some 27 million years ago, and is considered to be the missing link between modern elephants and their ancestors. The fossils of this species are the oldest known fossils featuring the horizontal tooth displacement seen in modern elephants. The species is estimated to have weighed 484 kg (1,067 lb) and stood about 1.3 m (4.3 ft) at the shoulder, much smaller than modern species.
The generic name Eritreum comes from Eritrea, the country in the Horn of Africa where the specimen was discovered. The specific name melakeghebrekristosi honors Melake Ghebrekristos, the farmer who found the specimen.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Eritreum (revision 1239883880), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q1354902.
