- Gomphothere
Taxobox
name = Gomphotheres
fossil_range =Miocene -Pliocene
image_caption = "Platybelodon " skeleton fromHubei
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Mammal ia
ordo =Proboscidea
superfamilia =Elephantoidea
familia =Gomphotheriidae
familia_authority = Hay, 1922
subdivision_ranks = Genus
subdivision =
* ? "Gnathabelodon "
* ? "Archaeobelodon "
* ? "Protanancus "
* ? "Amebelodon "
* ? "Platybelodon "
* ? "Torybelodon "
* ? "Serbelodon "
* "Phiomia "
* "Gomphotherium "
* "Sinomastodon "
* "Eubelodon "
* "Rhynchotherium "
* "Stegomastodon "
* "Haplomastodon "
* "Notiomastodon "
* "Cuvieronius "
* ? "Anancus "
* ? "Tetralophodon "
* ? "Paratetralophodon "
* ? "Zygolophodon "
* ? "Bunolophodon "The Gomphotheres are a diverse group of
extinct elephant -like animals (proboscidean s) that were widespread inNorth America during theMiocene andPliocene epochs, 12-1.6 million years ago. Some also lived in parts ofEurasia andBeringia , and following theGreat American Interchange , inSouth America . From about 5 million years ago onwards, they were slowly replaced by modern elephants, but the last South American species did not finally become extinct until as recently as400 CEcite book |editor=Palmer, D.|year=1999 |title= The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals|publisher= Marshall Editions|location=London|pages= 239-242|isbn= 1-84028-152-9] .Gomphothere remains are common at South American
Paleo-indian sites.Citation
first = J. L.
last = Prado
author-link =
first2 = M. T.
last2 = Alberdi
first3 = B.
last3 = Azanza
first4 = B.
last4 = Sánchez
first5 = D.
last5 = Frassinetti
editor-last = Cavarretta
editor-first = G.
editor2-last = Gioia
editor2-first = P.
editor3-last = Mussi
editor3-first = M.
editor4-last = Palombo
editor4-first = M. R.
contribution = The Pleistocene Gomphotheres (Proboscidea) from South America: diversity, habitats and feeding ecology
contribution-url = http://www.cq.rm.cnr.it/elephants2001/pdf/337_340.pdf
title = The World of Elephants - Proceedings of the 1st International Congress, Rome October 16-20 2001
year = 2001
pages = 337-340
place = Rome
publisher = Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
url = http://www.cq.rm.cnr.it/elephants2001/atti_en.htm
doi =
id = ISBN 88-8080-025-6
accessdate = 2008-07-25] One example is the early human settlement atMonte Verde , Chile, dating to approximately 14,000 years ago.Gomphotheres differed from elephants in their
tooth structure, particularly the chewing surfaces on the molar teeth. Most had fourtusk s, and their retracted facial and nasal bones prompt paleontologists to believe that gomphotheres had elephant-like trunks. The early gomphotheres, such as "Phiomia ", had elongated upper and lower jaws, with relatively short tusks. Two lineages appear to have arisen from these ancestors. One, including animals such as "Anancus ", developed the short lower jaw typical of modern elephants, while the others, including "Platybelodon ", developed the lower jaw into an elongated 'shovel', and shortened the upper jaw.Classification
The systematics and phylogeny of gomphotheres are unclear and the group might in fact be
paraphyletic . The genus "Gnathabelodon " is often placed in its own family, theGnathabelodontidae , and "Archaeobelodon ", "Protanancus ", "Amebelodon ", "Platybelodon " and "Serbelodon " are sometimes regrouped in a separate family, theAmebelodontidae . The genera "Anancus ", "Tetralophodon ", "Stegomastodon ", "Paratetralophodon " and "Cuvieronius " are placed by some authors within the gomphotheres, while others consider them as trueElephantidae .In 1933, "Serbelodon burnhami" (now "Amebelodon burnhami") was newly discovered and named after the celebrated scout
Frederick Russell Burnham .cite journal |last=Osborn |first=Henry Fairfield |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1933 |month=June 29 |title=Serbelodon Burnhami, a new Shovel-Tusker from California |journal=American Museum Novitates |volume= |issue=639 |pages=1–5 |id= |url=http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/2061/1/N0639.pdf |accessdate= 2007-11-01 |quote= ]References
External links
* [http://www.nhm.org/expeditions/rrc/geopaleo_elephants.html Short article and picture of gomphothere elephant, from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County] .
* [http://www.sierracollege.edu/EventsAthletics/NatHistMus/exhibitsIn/gomphothere.htm Description of a Gomphothere exhibit] from the website ofSierra College
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.