Phiomia

Taxobox
name = "Phiomia"
status = fossil
fossil_range = Late Eocene to Early Oligocene


image width = 240px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Proboscidea
familia = Phiomiidae
genus = "Phiomia"
species = "P. serridens"
binomial = "Phiomia serridens"
binomial_authority = Andrews & Beadnell, 1902

"Phiomia serridens" is an extinct species of basal proboscid that lived in what is now Northern Africa during the Late Eocene to Early Oligocene some 36-35 million years ago. Its name means "Saw-toothed [animal] of Faiyum". The 2.5 metre (8 ft) tall animal vaguely resembled a modern elephant, but had a much shorter trunk (based on the shape of its nasal bones), short tusks on the upper jaw and also short shovel-like tusks on the lower jaw that were most likely used for gathering food. These were similar to those of the Miocene "Platybelodon", "Archaeobelodon", and "Amebelodon", but smaller. Some scientists believe that the shorter tusks in its upper jaw may have been used as weapons.Fact|date=March 2008