This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A rhinoceros skull at least 8 million years old has been found in the town of Sitia on Crete, the Greek news agency ANA reported Tuesday. The skull belongs to the species Dihoplus pikermiensis and dates back 8 million to 8.5 million years.
Dihoplus pikermiensis was a massive, two-horned rhinoceros that lived during the late Miocene. It was a typical species of the so-called Pikermian fauna, which inhabited western Eurasia during that period. Scientists conducting paleontological research last March in the Magantze and Trapeza areas of Sitia Geopark found fossilized bones, including the skull.
Sitia Geopark is part of the global network of geoparks of the U.N. agency UNESCO and has a paleontological history spanning nearly 300 million years. Among the preserved features under close study are three intact molars from the upper left jaw, offering researchers insights into the animal's diet and age, Greek media reported. Master's in physics with research experience.
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