Mammutidae

Mammut skeleton Museum of the Earth

Mastodon tooth from Mattapoisett River - Robbins Museum - Middleborough, Massachusetts - DSC03767

Mammut borsoni from Milia

Mammutidae, commonly known as the mastodon family, is an extinct family of proboscideans that includes the mastodons and their relatives. This family lived from the late Miocene epoch through the Pleistocene, with species found across Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America. The Mammutidae are distinguished from other proboscideans, such as the Elephantidae (true elephants and their ancestors), by their distinct dental and skeletal features.

Description

Mammutidae members were large mammals, with some species, such as the American mastodon (Mammut americanum), standing over 2.5 meters tall at the shoulder. They had long, curved tusks and a body shape similar to that of modern elephants. However, mastodons had more heavily muscled jaws with teeth adapted for browsing rather than grazing. Their molars had conical cusps, which were effective for chewing leaves, twigs, and branches.

Evolution and History

The Mammutidae family evolved in the late Miocene, approximately 5 to 10 million years ago. Their evolutionary history is marked by a diversification of species across various continents. The mastodons were not as widely spread as the members of Elephantidae, and their fossils are less commonly found. The last members of the Mammutidae family disappeared during the late Pleistocene, around 10,000 years ago, likely due to a combination of climate change and human activity.

Classification

The classification within the Mammutidae has been subject to revision, but it generally includes several genera, with Mammut being the most well-known. Mammut is not to be confused with Mammuthus, the genus that includes the true mammoths, which are part of the Elephantidae family.

Genera

• Mammut
• Zygolophodon (a more primitive member of the family, with somewhat different dental characteristics)

Extinction

The reasons behind the extinction of the Mammutidae are still studied, with theories including climate change at the end of the last Ice Age and overhunting by early human populations. Their extinction marked the end of a significant chapter in the history of proboscideans, leaving only the Elephantidae to continue the proboscidean lineage into the present day.

Cultural Significance

Mastodons have held a significant place in human culture and science since their fossils were first discovered. They were among the first extinct creatures to be studied scientifically in North America, contributing to the development of paleontology as a science. The discovery of mastodon bones in the 18th century challenged existing ideas about the permanence of species and contributed to the early discussions on extinction.