Mammutidae

{{Short description|Extinct family of mammals}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = Late Oligocene - Holocene {{Fossil range|27.5|0.011}} | image = Mammut_skeleton_Museum_of_the_Earth.jpg | image_caption = Mounted American mastodon (''Mammut americanum'') skeleton, Museum of the Earth | display_parents = 3 | parent_authority = Hay, 1922<ref name = "Hay1922">{{cite journal |last= Hay|first= Oliver Perry|author-link= Oliver Perry Hay|title= Further observations on some extinct elephants|journal= Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington|volume= 35|pages= 97–101|date=1922|url= https://haygenealogy.com/hay/oph/1922-elephants.pdf|access-date= 2019-10-07}}</ref> | taxon = Mammutidae | authority = Hay, 1922 | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision_ref = <ref>{{cite journal|last=Shoshani|first=Jeheskel|author2=Pascal Tassy|title=Advances in proboscidean taxonomy & classification, anatomy & physiology, and ecology & behavior|journal=Quaternary International|year=2005|volume=126-128|pages=5–20|doi=10.1016/j.quaint.2004.04.011|bibcode=2005QuInt.126....5S}}</ref> | subdivision = †''Eozygodon'' Tassy and Pickford, 1983 †''Losodokodon'' Rasmussen & Gutiérrez, 2009 †''Mammut'' Blumenbach, 1799 †''Miomastodon''? Osborn, 1922<ref name = "Wang2020">{{cite journal|last1= Wang|first1= S.-Q.|last2= Zhang|first2= X.-X.|last3= Li|first3= C.-X.|title= Reappraisal of ''Serridentinus gobiensis'' Osborn & Granger and ''Miomastodon tongxinensis'' Chen: the validity of ''Miomastodon''|journal= Vertebrata PalAsiatica|date= 2020|doi= 10.19615/j.cnki.1000-3118.200310|url= http://www.ivpp.cas.cn/cbw/gjzdwxb/pressonline/202003/P020200313436889779476.pdf|access-date= 2020-03-15|archive-date= 2020-07-15|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200715190916/http://www.ivpp.cas.cn/cbw/gjzdwxb/pressonline/202003/P020200313436889779476.pdf}}</ref> †''Sinomammut'' Mothé ''et al.'', 2016<ref>{{cite journal |author=Dimila Mothé |author2=Leonardo S. Avilla |author3=Desi Zhao |author4=Guangpu Xie |author5=Boyang Sun |year=2016 |title=A new Mammutidae (Proboscidea, Mammalia) from the Late Miocene of Gansu Province, China |journal=Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências |volume=88 |issue=1 |pages=65–74 |doi=10.1590/0001-3765201520150261 |pmid=26839998 |doi-access=free }}</ref> †''Zygolophodon'' Vacek, 1877 | synonyms = *Mastodontidae Gray, 1821 | range_map = | range_map_caption = The inferred range of the Mammutidae }} '''Mammutidae''' is an extinct family of proboscideans belonging to Elephantimorpha. It is best known for the mastodons (genus ''Mammut'') which inhabited North America from the Late Miocene (around 8 million years ago) until their extinction at the beginning of the Holocene around 11,000 years ago. The earliest fossils of the group are known from the Late Oligocene of Africa, around 24 million years ago, and fossils of the group have also been found across Eurasia. The name "mastodon" derives from Ancient Greek μαστός (''mastós''), meaning "nipple", and ὀδούς (''odoús''), meaning "tooth", referring to their characteristic teeth.

== Description == Mammutids are characterised by their zygodont molars, where pairs of parallel cusps are merged into sharp-sided riges, which are morphologically conservative and differ little between mammutid species.''<ref name=":0" />'' Like other members of Elephantimorpha, mammutids exhibited horizontal tooth replacement like modern elephants. Some authors have argued that horizontal tooth replacement evolved in parallel in mammutids and members of Elephantida (which includes gomphotheres and elephants), though this is uncertain.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Sanders |first=William J. |date=2018-02-17 |title=Horizontal tooth displacement and premolar occurrence in elephants and other elephantiform proboscideans |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2017.1297436 |journal=Historical Biology |language=en |volume=30 |issue=1–2 |pages=137–156 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2017.1297436 |bibcode=2018HBio...30..137S |s2cid=89904463 |issn=0891-2963|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Compared to modern elephants, the bones of most mammutids were more robust, with the limb bones in particular being massive,''<ref name=":0" />'' with the legs being proportionally shorter than living elephants, while their bodies were proportionally more elongate.<ref name=":7" /> Early members of the group like ''Eozygodon'' and ''Zygolophodon'' had elongate mandibular symphysis (the front-most part) of the lower jaws with lower incisors/tusks (which tend to be flattened and narrow in shape<ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last=Nabavizadeh |first=Ali |date=2024-10-08 |title=Of tusks and trunks: A review of craniofacial evolutionary anatomy in elephants and extinct Proboscidea |url=https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.25578 |journal=The Anatomical Record |language=en |doi=10.1002/ar.25578 |issn=1932-8486|url-access=subscription }}</ref>), while in later representatives like ''Sinomammut'' and ''Mammut'', the lower incisors/tusks were either lost or only vestigially present, and the lower jaws shortened (brevirostrine). This process happened convergently amongst other elephantimorph proboscideans, including gomphotheres, stegodontids, and elephantids.<ref name="Mothe16">{{Cite journal |last1=Mothé |first1=Dimila |last2=Avilla |first2=Leonardo S. |last3=Zhao |first3=Desi |last4=Xie |first4=Guangpu |last5=Sun |first5=Boyang |last6=Mothé |first6=Dimila |last7=Avilla |first7=Leonardo S. |last8=Zhao |first8=Desi |last9=Xie |first9=Guangpu |year=2016 |title=A new Mammutidae (Proboscidea, Mammalia) from the Late Miocene of Gansu Province, China |journal=Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências |volume=88 |issue=1 |pages=65–74 |doi=10.1590/0001-3765201520150261 |issn=0001-3765 |pmid=26839998 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mothé |first1=Dimila |last2=Ferretti |first2=Marco P. |last3=Avilla |first3=Leonardo S. |date=2016-01-12 |editor-last=Beatty |editor-first=Brian Lee |title=The Dance of Tusks: Rediscovery of Lower Incisors in the Pan-American Proboscidean Cuvieronius hyodon Revises Incisor Evolution in Elephantimorpha |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=11 |issue=1 |article-number=e0147009 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0147009 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=4710528 |pmid=26756209 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2016PLoSO..1147009M }}</ref> Mammutids are thought to have had prehensile trunks like those of living elephants, with those of ''Mammut'' suggested to have been possibly long enough to reach the ground.<ref name=":7" /> The upper tusks in primitive mammutids are relatively small as well as being downward (ventrally) and outward (laterally) curving, while those of mastodons (''Mammut'') are large and upward curving, often reaching around {{Convert|3|m|ft}} in length.<ref name=":7" /> The mammutid ''"Mammut" borsoni'' is one of the largest of all proboscideans with an estimated average male body weight of {{Convert|16|t|lb}} making it one of the largest land mammals of all time,<ref name="proboscideans">{{Cite journal |last1=Larramendi |first1=A. |year=2016 |title=Shoulder height, body mass and shape of proboscideans |url=https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app61/app001362014.pdf |journal=Acta Palaeontologica Polonica |volume=61 |doi=10.4202/app.00136.2014 |doi-access=free}}</ref> with the tusks of this species being the longest known of any animal, reaching over {{Convert|5|m|ft}} in length.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Larramendi |first=Asier |date=2023-12-10 |title=Estimating tusk masses in proboscideans: a comprehensive analysis and predictive model |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2023.2286272 |journal=Historical Biology |language=en |pages=1–14 |doi=10.1080/08912963.2023.2286272 |issn=0891-2963|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The encephalization quotient of mammutids is lower than those of modern elephants, indicating mammutids had proportionally smaller brains relative to body size, though their brains are proportionally larger than those of more primitive non-elephantimorph proboscideans.<ref name=":1" />

{{gallery|Miomastodon_proavusDB.jpg|Life restoration of ''Zygolophodon proavus'', showing elongate lower jaw with lower tusks, and downward curving upper tusks|Aurora_Mastodon_Lower_Jaw_and_Tooth.jpg|Lower jaw of an American mastodon (''Mammut americanum'') with teeth|Warren mastodon size comparison.jpg|Size an American mastodon (''Mammut americanum'') bull, compared to a human|Mammut borsoni from Milia.jpg|Size of an adult male of ''"Mammut" borsoni'', the largest known mammutid and one of the largest land mammals of all time, compared to a human|||||||width=300|height=150|lines=|align=center|title=Gallery of Mammutidae}}

== Ecology == Members of Mammutidae are thought to have been primarily browsers on the foliage and twigs of trees and shrubs.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Saarinen |first1=Juha |last2=Lister |first2=Adrian M. |date=2023-08-14 |title=Fluctuating climate and dietary innovation drove ratcheted evolution of proboscidean dental traits |journal=Nature Ecology & Evolution |language=en |volume=7 |issue=9 |pages=1490–1502 |bibcode=2023NatEE...7.1490S |doi=10.1038/s41559-023-02151-4 |issn=2397-334X |pmc=10482678 |pmid=37580434 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Janis |first=C |date=May 2004 |title=The species richness of Miocene browsers, and implications for habitat type and primary productivity in the North American grassland biome |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0031018204000483 |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |language=en |volume=207 |issue=3–4 |pages=371–398 |bibcode=2004PPP...207..371J |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2003.09.032|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=":15">{{Cite journal |last1=Rivals |first1=Florent |last2=Semprebon |first2=Gina M. |last3=Lister |first3=Adrian M. |date=September 2019 |title=Feeding traits and dietary variation in Pleistocene proboscideans: A tooth microwear review |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0277379119302641 |journal=Quaternary Science Reviews |language=en |volume=219 |pages=145–153 |bibcode=2019QSRv..219..145R |doi=10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.06.027 |s2cid=200073388|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The jaws of mammutids are adapted to powerful vertical biting (orthal movement) that served to crush food items and to a considerably lesser extent grind it with side-to side movement.<ref name=":7" /> Analysis of American mastodon (''Mammut americanum'') remains suggests that mammutids had a similar social structure to modern elephants, with herds of adult females and juveniles, with adult males living solitarily or in bonding groups with other males,<ref name="buesching">{{Cite journal |last1=Miller |first1=Joshua H. |last2=Fisher |first2=Daniel C. |last3=Crowley |first3=Brooke E. |last4=Secord |first4=Ross |last5=Konomi |first5=Bledar A. |year=2022 |title=Male mastodon landscape use changed with maturation (late Pleistocene, North America) |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |language=en |volume=119 |issue=25 |article-number=e2118329119 |bibcode=2022PNAS..11918329M |doi=10.1073/pnas.2118329119 |issn=0027-8424 |pmc=9231495 |pmid=35696566 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="Haynes">{{cite journal |last1=Haynes |first1=G. |last2=Klimowicz |first2=J. |year=2003 |title=Mammoth (''Mammuthus'' spp.) and American mastodont (''Mammut americanum'') bonesites: what do the differences mean? |url=http://natuurtijdschriften.nl/record/538680 |journal=Advances in Mammoth Research |volume=9 |pages=185–204}}</ref> with adult males periodically engaging in musth-like fighting behaviour against other males.<ref name="buesching" /> Like other elephantimorphs and modern elephants, mammutids are thought to have utilized infrasonic sound for communication, with the morphology of their hyoid bones and inner ear suggesting that they were both capable of hearing and producing infrasonic calls.<ref name=":1">{{Citation |last=Benoit |first=Julien |title=Paleoneurology of the Proboscidea (Mammalia, Afrotheria): Insights from Their Brain Endocast and Labyrinth |date=2023 |work=Paleoneurology of Amniotes |pages=579–644 |editor-last=Dozo |editor-first=María Teresa |url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-031-13983-3_15 |access-date=2025-06-16 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer International Publishing |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-031-13983-3_15 |isbn=978-3-031-13982-6 |last2=Lyras |first2=George A. |last3=Schmitt |first3=Arnaud |last4=Nxumalo |first4=Mpilo |last5=Tabuce |first5=Rodolphe |last6=Obada |first6=Teodor |last7=Mararsecul |first7=Vladislav |last8=Manger |first8=Paul |editor2-last=Paulina-Carabajal |editor2-first=Ariana |editor3-last=Macrini |editor3-first=Thomas E. |editor4-last=Walsh |editor4-first=Stig}}</ref>

== Evolution == Mammutids are the most basal group within Elephantimorpha, with gomphotheres and other members of Elephantida like amebelodonts being more closely related to elephants.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1= Shoshani|first1=J.|last2= Ferretti|first2=M.P.|last3= Lister|first3=A.M.|last4= Agenbroad|first4=L.D.|last5= Saegusa|first5=H.|last6= Mol|first6=D.|last7= Takahashi|first7=K.|date= July 2007|title= Relationships within the Elephantinae using hyoid characters|journal= Quaternary International|volume= 169-170|pages= 174–185|doi= 10.1016/j.quaint.2007.02.003|bibcode=2007QuInt.169..174S |issn=1040-6182}}</ref><ref name="Baleka et al. 2021">{{Cite journal |last1=Baleka |first1=Sina |last2=Varela |first2=Luciano |last3=Tambusso |first3=P. Sebastián |last4=Paijmans |first4=Johanna L.A. |last5=Mothé |first5=Dimila |last6=Stafford |first6=Thomas W. |last7=Fariña |first7=Richard A. |last8=Hofreiter |first8=Michael |date=December 2021 |title=Revisiting proboscidean phylogeny and evolution through total evidence and palaeogenetic analyses including ''Notiomastodon'' ancient DNA |journal=iScience |language=en |volume=25 |issue=1 |article-number=103559 |doi=10.1016/j.isci.2021.103559 |pmc=8693454 |pmid=34988402}}</ref> Cladogram after Li et al. (2024).<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Li |first1=Chunxiao |last2=Deng |first2=Tao |last3=Wang |first3=Yang |last4=Sun |first4=Fajun |last5=Wolff |first5=Burt |last6=Jiangzuo |first6=Qigao |last7=Ma |first7=Jiao |last8=Xing |first8=Luda |last9=Fu |first9=Jiao |last10=Zhang |first10=Ji |last11=Wang |first11=Shiqi |date=2024-06-20 |title=The trunk replaces the longer mandible as the main feeding organ in elephant evolution |url=https://elifesciences.org/articles/90908 |journal=eLife |language=en |volume=12 |doi=10.7554/eLife.90908.3 |doi-access=free |issn=2050-084X}}</ref> {{clade |label1=Elephantiformes |1={{clade |1=''Phiomia'' |label2=Elephantimorpha |2={{clade |label1='''Mammutidae''' |1={{clade |1=''Losodokodon'' |2={{clade |1=''Eozygodon'' |2=''Zygolophodon'' (ancestral to ''Mammut'') }}}} |label2=Elephantida |2={{clade |1=Choerolophodontidae |2={{clade |1=Amebelodontidae (shovel tuskers) |2="Gomphotheriidae" (paraphyletic, ancestral to Elephantidae) }}}}}}}}}} Mammutids originated in Africa during the Late Oligocene, with the oldest genus ''Losodokodon'' dating to around 27.5-24 million years ago.''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sanders |first=William J. |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315118918 |title=Evolution and Fossil Record of African Proboscidea |date=2023-07-07 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1-315-11891-8 |edition=1 |location=Boca Raton |pages=48,117 |language=en |doi=10.1201/b20016}}</ref>'' Mammutids belonging to the genus ''Zygolophodon'' (as well as possibly other mammutid genera) entered Eurasia across the "''Gomphotherium'' land bridge" during the early Miocene, around 18 million years ago. Mammutid remains are generally rare in Eurasia in comparison to contemporary gomphotheres and deinotheres.''<ref name=":0" />'' During the late early Miocene, around 16.5 million years ago,<ref name=":3">Koenigswald, Widga & Göhlich (2021): [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349848076_New_mammutids_Proboscidea_from_the_Clarendonian_and_Hemphillian_of_Oregon_-a_survey_of_Mio-Pliocene_mammutids_from_North_America New mammutids (Proboscidea) from the Clarendonian and Hemphillian of Oregon – a survey of Mio-Pliocene mammutids from North America]</ref> a population of ''Zygolophodon'' entered North America, giving rise to ''Mammut.<ref name=":0" />'' The youngest confirmed records of mammutids in Africa date to around 13 million years ago, though possible Late Miocene fossils have been reported from North Africa.<ref>Pickford, M. 2007. [https://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10539/17292/Pal-Vol-42.pdf#page=31 New mammutid proboscidean teeth from the middle Miocene of tropical and southern Africa]. ''Palaeontologia Africana'' 42: 29–35.</ref> At the beginning of the Pleistocene, around 2 to 2.5 million years ago, the last of the Eurasian mammutids, ''"Mammut" borsoni'' became extinct, with members of ''Mammut'' persisting in North America until the end of the Pleistocene, approximately 11,000 years ago.''<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Koenigswald |first1=Wighart |last2=Březina |first2=Jakub |last3=Werneburg |first3=Ralf |last4=Göhlich |first4=Ursula |date=2022 |title=A partial skeleton of "Mammut" borsoni (Proboscidea, Mammalia) from the Pliocene of Kaltensundheim (Germany) |url=https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2022/3573-mammut-kaltensundheim |journal=Palaeontologia Electronica |volume=27 |issue=1 |pages=1–20 |doi=10.26879/1188|doi-access=free }}</ref>''

== References == {{Reflist}} {{Commons}} {{Wikispecies}}

Category:Mammutidae Category:Miocene first appearances Category:Prehistoric mammal families

nl:Mastodont