Overview
- Field teams uncovered fossil material in the Sitia UNESCO Global Geopark in March and sent the specimens to the University of Patras for cleaning and conservation.
- Laboratory preparation reported in late September revealed a rhinoceros skull with three preserved upper‑left cheek teeth that allowed a preliminary identification as Dihoplus pikermiensis.
- The research team led by Professor Giorgos Iliopoulos describes the assignment to Dihoplus pikermiensis as provisional while they complete detailed comparisons of skull features and tooth morphology.
- The three upper molars are scientifically important because their shape and wear can help determine the animal’s age and diet and support taxonomic comparisons with other late Miocene finds.
- If confirmed, the specimen would add evidence that pikermian fauna, previously known from sites such as Pikermi in Attica, extended to Crete and enrich the paleontological record preserved in the Sitia Geopark.