Protanancus

Protanancus is an extinct genus of amebelodontid proboscidean native to Africa and Asia during the Miocene epoch. The generic name is derived from the unrelated Anancus, and the Greek prōtos "first".

==Description== Protanancus, about the size of a present-day Asian elephant, was presumably quite similar to the related proboscidean Platybelodon. Like Platybelodon, the mandibular symphysis of this species was narrow and elongated, and possessed two flattened tusks. Investigation of the structure of the lower tusks revealed that those of Protanancus were concentric, like those of most proboscideans (including present-day proboscideans), while those of Platybelodon possessed dentinal tubules.