| Elph | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Synapsida |
| Clade: | Therapsida |
| Suborder: | †Anomodontia |
| Clade: | †Dicynodontia |
| Family: | †Elphidae |
| Subfamily: | †Elphinae |
| Genus: | †Elph Kurkin, 1999 |
| Species: | †E. borealis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Elph borealis Kurkin, 1999 | |
Elph (an arbitrary combination of letters[1]) is an extinctgenus ofdicynodonttherapsids fromRussia. Four specimens have been found from theSokolki Assemblage inEuropean Russia, representing a fauna that dates back to theLate Permian.[2] The holotype,PIN 2353/37, was originally considered a juvenile specimen due to its small size (with a total skull length of 106 mm), before being recognized as a mature individual.[1]
Elph was a smallherbivore that lived alongside carnivorousakidnognathids andinostranceviids, as well as larger herbivores likeDicynodon andpareiasaurids.[3] Thetype speciesE. borealis was named in 1999.Elph has a short snout and tusks and is closely related toInterpresosaurus andKatumbia.[4]
