Vertebrate tracks in Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene (?) carbonate aeolianites, Paphos, Cyprus

A significant discovery of vertebrate tracks, including those likely made by dwarf hippopotami and dwarf elephants, was uncovered in Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene carbonate aeolianites near Paphos, Cyprus. These tracks, ranging from 5 to 23 cm in diameter, provide a rare opportunity to correlate fossilized footprints with the island's endemic fauna, which included the dwarf hippopotamus Phanourios minor and the dwarf elephant Elephas cypriotes. The study examined cross-bedded aeolianite exposures near Agia Solomoni Church and within the Tombs of the Kings, analyzing sedimentary structures to reconstruct ancient coastal dune environments. While absolute dating remains pending, the tracks' size and morphology strongly suggest they were made by these now-extinct species, offering insights into Cyprus's late Pleistocene ecosystem.

Milàn, J., Theodorou, G., Loope, D., Panayides, I., Clemmensen, L., & Gkioni, M. (2015). Vertebrate tracks in Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene (?) carbonate aeolianites, Paphos, Cyprus. Annales Societatis Geologorum Poloniae. https://doi.org/10.14241/asgp.2015.012