Domain: Eukarya
Elephas maximus falls under the domain Eukarya due to the fact that their cells contain mitochondria and membrane-bound organelles.
Kingdom: Animalia
This organism is both multicellular and heterotrophic; therefore, it falls under the kingdom Animalia.
Phylum: Chordata
The Asian elephant falls under the phylum Chordata due to the presence of a notochord, which is a support structure made of cartilage that runs just below the nerve cord.
Class: Mammalia
The presence of hair and two mammary glands places Elephas maximus within the class of Mammalia.
Order: Proboscidae
The term Proboscidae was derived from the Latin word “proboscis,” meaning trunk. These animals once inhabited every continent of the world except for Antarctica and Australia; however, the Asian and African elephants are the only members of the Order Proboscidae that are still living today.
Family: Elephantidae
The Asian elephants belong to the Elephantidae family which was once comprised of six genera and 26 species. All members of the Elephantidae family have well-developed trunks with elevated nostrils.
Genus: Elephas
Elephant comes from
the Greek word “elephas,” meaning
ivory. The tusks of
an elephant are made out of ivory.
The genus Elephas
is very closely related to the mammoth
genus Mammuthus.
Species: Elephas maximus
Elephants have been classified into two species, the African (Loxodonta Africana) and Asian (Elephas maximus) elephants. The Asian elephants inhabit the eastern and southern parts of Asia; whereas, the African elephants inhabit the sub-Saharan regions of Africa.