mastodon, (genus Mammut), any of several extinct elephantine mammals (family Mammutidae, genus Mammut ) that first appeared in the early Miocene (23 million to 2.6 million years ago) and continued in various forms through the Pleistocene Epoch (from 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago). In North America, mastodons probably persisted into post-Pleistocene time and were thus contemporaneous with Paleo-Indian groups. Mastodons had a worldwide distribution; their remains are quite common and are often very well preserved.

A characteristic feature of the mastodons, which appear to have fed upon leaves, is the distinctive nature of the grinding teeth, which in many respects are relatively primitive. They are low-crowned, large, and strongly rooted, with as many as four prominent ridges separated by deep troughs; the teeth are much smaller and less complex, however, than those in the true elephants. The prominent upper tusks were long and grew parallel to each other with an upward curvature. Short lower tusks were present in males but absent in females.

Mastodons were shorter than modern elephants but were heavily built. Although the skull was lower and flatter and of generally simpler construction than that of the modern elephants, it was similar in appearance. The ears were smaller and not as prominent as those of elephants. The body was relatively long, and the legs were short, massive, and pillarlike. Mastodons were covered with long reddish brown hair.

It is likely that mortality caused by rapid changes in climate combined with human hunting pressure contributed to their extinction. DNA studies of the North American mastodon (Mammut americanum) support the hypothesis that the mastodon’s genetic diversity declined as conditions warmed, resulting in a retreat of the continental ice sheets and the animal’s geographic range.

Despite the superficial resemblance, mastodons were distinct from mammoths. Mastodon were shorter and stockier than mammoths with shorter, straighter tusks. Mastodons were wood browsers and their molars have pointed cones specially adapted for eating woody browse.

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  • Outdoor_Catgirl [she/her, they/them]
    ·
    2 years ago

    Mammoths are the shit. My younger sibling did a project on them in Christian school 3rd grade and failed because the teacher said it was impossible for mammoths to have lived 8000 years ago because the earth was only 5000 years old. This is why I am now a vehement atheist(only half joking here)

    • Infantile_Disorder [he/him]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Is 5000 years even an actual thing in the Bible? Like it feels like something someone just made up and some Christians ran with it.

      • Frank [he/him, he/him]
        ·
        2 years ago

        Some dipshit went through and added up all the begats and the wanderings in the desert and yadda yadda yadda and figured out that the world was created like 5642 years ago on a tuesday. Only Evangelical freaks believe that. I forget when exactly but the Catholics have accepted evolution and the scientific age of the universe since at least Vatican II, along with almost all protestants and most Muslims. I can't speak for other religions.