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''Tetralophodon'' ("four-ridged tooth") is an extinct proboscidean genus belonging to the superfamily Elephantoidea.
''Tetralophodon'' was an elephant-like animal which existed through the late
These animals were very widespread and successful proboscideans. Their fossils have been found from the late Miocene to the Middle Pliocene epochs of
Taxonomy
The genus ''Tetralophodon'' (meaning "four-ridged tooth") was named in the mid-19th century with the discovery of the specialized teeth.Description
''Tetralophodon'' was an elephant-like animal which existed through the late Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...
to the Middle Pliocene epochs, approximately 10.9 million years.
Like the gomphotheres, to which it was not closely related, ''Tetralophodon'' had four tusks
Tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth that protrude well beyond the mouth of certain mammal species. They are most commonly canine teeth, as with pigs and walruses, or, in the case of elephants, elongated incisors. Tusks share ...
and a trunk
Trunk may refer to:
Biology
* Trunk (anatomy), synonym for torso
* Trunk (botany), a tree's central superstructure
* Trunk of corpus callosum, in neuroanatomy
* Elephant trunk, the proboscis of an elephant
Computing
* Trunk (software), in rev ...
. They are believed to have been about tall at the shoulder and up to 10 tonnes in weight, larger than the size of the present Asian elephant
The Asian elephant (''Elephas maximus''), also known as the Asiatic elephant, is the only living species of the genus '' Elephas'' and is distributed throughout the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, from India in the west, Nepal in t ...
, with a long trunk and incisors ranging up to long. These incisors are believed to have been used as a defense mechanism.
The large, four-cusped cheek teeth of these animals are about by , about six times the size of a normal human tooth. These low-crowned, bunodont teeth were adapted for crushing and grinding, compared with other mammals during this era that had sharp teeth used for cutting. The teeth indicate a diet of large fruits and vegetables. This diet was aided by the large size and long trunks that enabled these mammals to reach tall, fruit-bearing trees.
Some features, mainly concerning the teeth, would seem to place ''Tetralophodon'' close to the origin of today's elephants. The molars, in particular, are more advanced and specialized than those of the other gomphotheres.
Distribution
These animals were very widespread and successful proboscideans. Their fossils have been found from the late Miocene to the Middle Pliocene epochs of Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
, Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
, and Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
. Most fossil records of ''Tetralophodon'' are of four-ridged teeth. The North American species, ''T. campester'' and ''T. fricki'', have been moved to the genus ''Pediolophodon
''Pediolophodon'' is an extinct elephantoid proboscid genus from the middle to late Miocene of North America (Nebraska and Texas). ''Pediolophodon'' was a close relative of elephants (members of the Elephantinae subfamily of Elephantidae) and ...
'' in 2007.
The majority of the gomphotheres became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene. While the reason for this extinction is still debated, what is known is that these massive elephantoids under the genus ''Tetralophodon'' did not survive.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1955654 Elephantoidea Prehistoric placental genera Pliocene proboscideans Miocene proboscideans Miocene mammals of Europe Miocene mammals of Asia Pliocene mammals of Europe Pliocene mammals of Asia Miocene mammals of Africa Pliocene mammals of Africa Fossil taxa described in 1847