Page 77 - Prehistoric Animals

Mast-Odon

Mastodon

Mammut*

Mastodon* (breast tooth) is a species of the extinct ge-
nus Mammut. They inhabited North and Central America dur-
ing the late Miocene 25 million years ago to the Pleistocene
10,000 to 11,000 years ago. At the shoulders they stood
around 3 to 4 metres in height and approximately 5 to 6 tonnes
in weight. Mastodons are members of the family Mammutidae.
This family contains groups like Eozygo-
don and Zygolophodon. All the groups in this family are be-
lieved to have split away from the ancestors of the modern day
elephants at least 25 million years ago.

Of the several species of Mastodons, only one or two
species, like M. American, have been found widespread across
North and Central America; the others being found in isolated
pockets. This is put down to their dietary preference and the
ecosystem each species resided. Detailed studies of Mastodons
teeth show they could be adaptable. For instance, some species
fossilized dietary tracks show a volume of twigs and bark, sug-
gesting they were living off trees and shrubs, while others show
they were living on softer herbaceous vegetation. This, some
think, would suggest the vast differences in ecosystems that
spanned North America at the time played a part in the move-
ment of the Mastodons. The twig and bark eaters would have
been restricted to the tree border lines, while the vegetation
eaters would have been able to roam freely. Of course many
disagree with this, claiming the ecosystems cannot fully ex-
plain why, within one species, there is such a diverse dietary
and movement pattern.

In general Mastodons were shorter than most modern
day elephants, even shorter than the Woolly mammoth. This
was due to their short stalky legs. Their bodies, however, were
longer, broader and much more muscular. They had a slightly
longer head with large curving tusks. There is no evidence that
they had a thick woolly coat like that of the Woolly Mammoth.
They were around at the same time as the Woolly but the cli-
mate they lived in was slightly warmer. Mastodons disap-
peared around 10,000 years ago. Some blame man for over
hunting the animal. He did hunt and kill Mastodons but there
is no evidence that it was on a scale that would have drove the
animal into extinction. It’s generally accepted that it was ex-
treme climate change that resulted in Mastodons extinction**.
*Mastodon was replaced by Mammut, under the rule ‘first named takes priority’.
Mammut was the first named 1799, Mastodon first named 1817
**Some suggest animals like dogs and chickens man brought with him may have
aided in their demise by spreading foreign diseases.