Stegotetrabelodon

Stegotetrabelodon (from Ancient Greek στέγος (stégos), meaning "roof", τετρα- (tetra-), meaning "four", βέλος (bélos), meaning "arrow", and ὀδούς (odoús), meaning "tooth") is an extinct genus of primitive elephantid from the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and Italy. It is the earliest and most primitive member of the family, notably retaining long lower tusks, which are the longest known of any proboscidean.

== Species and evolution == Stegotetrabelodon is suggested to have probably evolved from the "tetralophodont gomphothere" Tetralophodon. The earliest species S. emiratus is known from the Late Miocene Baynunah Formation of the United Arab Emirates on the Arabian Peninsula, dating to around 8-6 million years ago. S. orbus is known from the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda), spanning from around 7.5 million years ago to possibly as late as 4.2 million years ago. The species S. syrticus is known from the Sahabi site in Libya, dating to around 6.8–5.3 million years ago, with remains of the species also reported from the Late Miocene of Calabria in southern Italy, which was likely part of Africa during this time.