Evolutionary History
Evolutionary History (prehistoric to modern):
- Moeritherium-These animals were pig-like. They are smaller than modern elephants with a skull shape that suggests that they did not possess trunks. They do have a broad upper lip that was possible for grasping aquatic vegetation. Compared to the hippo, the elephant is less related to the Moeritherium as the shape of the teeth are less similar.
- Deinotherium- These animals had a short trunk, and their tusks have a downward curve attached to their lower jaw.
- Mammutidae (Mastodon)- These animals were mostly common during the Ice Age and were browsers; in other words, they fed on leaves, shoots, fruits, or other high-growing plants. They had large tusks and long, shaggy hair as an adaptation to survive in the cold climate of the Ice Age.
- Mammuthus (Wooly Mammoth)- Unlike the browsers, mammoths were grazers that feed on grasses or other low-growing plants. They had dense fur as they were also present during the Ice Age.
- Loxodonta (Elephant)- The elephant has a saddle-shaped back, low-domed head, gently upward-curving tusks, and large ears. These animals are found around tropical areas.