Elephas ekorensis

Elephas ekorensis
Temporal range: Early Pliocene
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Proboscidea
Family: Elephantidae
Genus: Elephas
Species:
E. ekorensis
Binomial name
Elephas ekorensis
Maglio, 1970

Elephas ekorensis is an extinct species of elephant. Fossils have been found in East Africa. They date as far back as the Early Pliocene age, between 5 and 4.2 million years ago. It is the earliest species placed in the genus Elephas. It has been suggested to have been a grazer or mixed feeder (both browsing and grazing). Its placement in the genus of Elephas has been questioned, as the teeth are similar to those of the contemporaneous Loxodonta adaurora. A number of specimens assigned to it likely actually belong to other species.