De olifanten uit het Pleistoceen van Nederland

The occurrence of elephants in the Pleistocene of the Netherlands is discussed. In the Praetiglian Anancus arvernensis (Nesti) occurs together with a species of Archidiskodon. It is not yet known whether this is Mammuthus (Archidiskodon) planifrons (Falc. et Cautley) or Mammuthus (Archidiskodon) meridionalis (Nesti). In the Tiglian Mammuthus (Archidiskodon) meridionalis is found. Perhaps this form was still living during the Taxandrian. Other forms are not known from the Taxandrian. The Needian is characterized by Loxodonta (Hesperoloxodon) antiqua (Falc.). Some recent finds of vertebrates from ice-pushed gravels are reported. Near Rhenen Mammuthus (Mammuthus) primigenius (Blum.) was found together with an other species of elephant, Cervus (Megaceros) giganteus Blum., Coelodonta antiquitatis (Blum.) and Equus spec. The identity of the latter elephant has not yet been established. May be it is Loxodonta (Hesperoloxodon) antiqua (Falc.) or Mammuthus (Parelephas) trogontherii (Pohlig). Identical finds are claimed by Adam (1954) from Steinheim an der Murr (Germany). Other finds from contorted gravels include Loxodonta (Hesperoloxodon) antiqua (Falc.) from Lunteren and Nede, and Mammuthus (Mammuthus) primigenius (Blum.) from Maarn, Hilversum, Amersfoort and Garderen. The exact age of these gravels is not yet known, but they are lower Drenthian or older. The Eemian has not yielded any elephant remains. During Tubantian times Mammuthus (Mammuthus) primigenius (Blum.) must have been very abundant indeed.