Steppe mammoth
Encyclopedia
The steppe mammoth, Mammuthus armeniacus, is an extinct species of Elephantidae
, that ranged over most of northern Eurasia
during the Middle Pleistocene
, 600,000-370,000 years ago.
The steppe mammoth probably evolved in Siberia
during the early Pleistocene from Mammuthus meridionalis
, which was replaced during the middle Pleistocene about 750,000 - 500,000 years ago. It was the first stage in the evolution of the steppe
and tundra
elephant
s and an ancestor of the woolly mammoth of the later glacial periods.
s to have ever lived, along with other species of Eurasian mammoth, North American mammoth and Deinotherium
. Its spiral-shaped tusks could be as long as 5.2 metres (17.1 ft) in old bulls. About 250.000 years ago, the woolly mammoth
, which derived in northern Asia from the steppe mammoth, appeared in Europe, and replaced its progenitor completely.
Its skull was shorter than that of the great southern elephant. The males had spiral tusks with a recurved tip, while the females had thinner and only slightly curved tusks. The tusks grew to considerable lengths and the largest one known must have measured about 5 m. on a living animal.
parts are rare. The most complete skeleton of a steppe mammoth yet found was discovered in 1996 in Kikinda, Serbia
. It has recently been mounted and put on display. The specimen is a female, which was about 4.7 metres (15.4 ft) high, with 3.5 metres (11.5 ft) long tusks, and would have weighed an estimated 7 tons when alive. This suggests even greater dimensions for males from the same area. It therefore seems that M. armeniacus is not only the biggest species of the genus Mammuthus, but is possibly among the biggest species in the order Proboscidea
, rivaling in size not only Elephas recki
and the Straight-tusked elephant Palaeoloxodon
but, perhaps, even Deinotherium
itself.
Another quite complete steppe mammoth was excavated in the cliffs of West Runton in Norfolk, UK; it preserves its jaws and teeth but is missing the upper part of its skull. A rare skull found in Auvergne, France, in 2008 will be examined in the Musée Crozatier, Le Puy-en-Velay
.
Elephantidae
Elephantidae is a taxonomic family, collectively elephants and mammoths. These are terrestrial large mammals with a trunk and tusks. Most genera and species in the family are extinct...
, that ranged over most of northern Eurasia
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
during the Middle Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
, 600,000-370,000 years ago.
The steppe mammoth probably evolved in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
during the early Pleistocene from Mammuthus meridionalis
Mammuthus meridionalis
Mammuthus meridionalis is an extinct species of mammoth endemic to Europe and central Asia from the Pleistocene, living from 2.5–0.126 mya existing for approximately ....
, which was replaced during the middle Pleistocene about 750,000 - 500,000 years ago. It was the first stage in the evolution of the steppe
Steppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
and tundra
Tundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s and an ancestor of the woolly mammoth of the later glacial periods.
Description
Standing up to 4.70 m (15 ft) tall at the shoulder, it is among the largest proboscideanProboscidea
Proboscidea is a taxonomic order containing one living family, Elephantidae, and several extinct families. This order was first described by J. Illiger in 1881 and encompasses the trunked mammals...
s to have ever lived, along with other species of Eurasian mammoth, North American mammoth and Deinotherium
Deinotherium
Deinotherium , also called the Hoe tusker, was a large prehistoric relative of modern-day elephants that appeared in the Middle Miocene and continued until the Early Pleistocene. During that time it changed very little...
. Its spiral-shaped tusks could be as long as 5.2 metres (17.1 ft) in old bulls. About 250.000 years ago, the woolly mammoth
Woolly mammoth
The woolly mammoth , also called the tundra mammoth, is a species of mammoth. This animal is known from bones and frozen carcasses from northern North America and northern Eurasia with the best preserved carcasses in Siberia...
, which derived in northern Asia from the steppe mammoth, appeared in Europe, and replaced its progenitor completely.
Its skull was shorter than that of the great southern elephant. The males had spiral tusks with a recurved tip, while the females had thinner and only slightly curved tusks. The tusks grew to considerable lengths and the largest one known must have measured about 5 m. on a living animal.
Fossils
Fossilized teeth are recovered, but skeletalSkeleton
The skeleton is the body part that forms the supporting structure of an organism. There are two different skeletal types: the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, and the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside the body.In a figurative sense, skeleton can...
parts are rare. The most complete skeleton of a steppe mammoth yet found was discovered in 1996 in Kikinda, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. It has recently been mounted and put on display. The specimen is a female, which was about 4.7 metres (15.4 ft) high, with 3.5 metres (11.5 ft) long tusks, and would have weighed an estimated 7 tons when alive. This suggests even greater dimensions for males from the same area. It therefore seems that M. armeniacus is not only the biggest species of the genus Mammuthus, but is possibly among the biggest species in the order Proboscidea
Proboscidea
Proboscidea is a taxonomic order containing one living family, Elephantidae, and several extinct families. This order was first described by J. Illiger in 1881 and encompasses the trunked mammals...
, rivaling in size not only Elephas recki
Elephas recki
Elephas recki is an extinct species related to the Asian elephant Elephas maximus. At up to 15 feet in shoulder height, it was one of the largest elephant species to have ever lived. It is believed that E. recki ranged throughout Africa between 3.5 and 1 million years ago. The Asian Elephant is...
and the Straight-tusked elephant Palaeoloxodon
Palaeoloxodon
Palaeoloxodon is an extinct subgenus of elephants, containing the various species of straight-tusked elephant. Its species' remains have been found in Bilzingsleben, Germany; Cyprus; Japan; Sicily; Malta; and recently in England during the excavation of the second Channel Tunnel. The English...
but, perhaps, even Deinotherium
Deinotherium
Deinotherium , also called the Hoe tusker, was a large prehistoric relative of modern-day elephants that appeared in the Middle Miocene and continued until the Early Pleistocene. During that time it changed very little...
itself.
Another quite complete steppe mammoth was excavated in the cliffs of West Runton in Norfolk, UK; it preserves its jaws and teeth but is missing the upper part of its skull. A rare skull found in Auvergne, France, in 2008 will be examined in the Musée Crozatier, Le Puy-en-Velay
Le Puy-en-Velay
Le Puy-en-Velay is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France.Its inhabitants are called Ponots.-History:Le Puy-en-Velay was a major bishopric in medieval France, founded early, though its early history is legendary...
.
See also
- DeinotheriumDeinotheriumDeinotherium , also called the Hoe tusker, was a large prehistoric relative of modern-day elephants that appeared in the Middle Miocene and continued until the Early Pleistocene. During that time it changed very little...
- Elephas reckiElephas reckiElephas recki is an extinct species related to the Asian elephant Elephas maximus. At up to 15 feet in shoulder height, it was one of the largest elephant species to have ever lived. It is believed that E. recki ranged throughout Africa between 3.5 and 1 million years ago. The Asian Elephant is...
- Mammuthus imperatorMammuthus imperatorThe Imperial Mammoth is an extinct species of mammoth endemic to North America from the Pliocene through Pleistocene, living from 4.9 mya—11,000 years ago....
- Mammuthus sungariMammuthus sungariMammuthus sungari, sometimes called the Songhua River Mammoth, evolved from smaller Siberian mammoths and occurred in Northern China during the middle Pleistocene...
- PalaeoloxodonPalaeoloxodonPalaeoloxodon is an extinct subgenus of elephants, containing the various species of straight-tusked elephant. Its species' remains have been found in Bilzingsleben, Germany; Cyprus; Japan; Sicily; Malta; and recently in England during the excavation of the second Channel Tunnel. The English...
- ParaceratheriumParaceratheriumParaceratherium, also commonly known as Indricotherium or Baluchitherium , is an extinct genus of gigantic hornless rhinoceros-like mammals of the family Hyracodontidae, endemic to Eurasia and Asia during the Eocene to Oligocene 37.2—23.030 Mya, existing for approximately...
- West Runton elephantWest Runton elephantThe West Runton Elephant is a fossilized skeleton of a steppe mammoth found in the cliffs of West Runton in the county of Norfolk, England in 1990...
Literature
- Benes, Josef: Prehistoric Animals and Plants, Pg. 271. Prague, Artua: 1979.
- Jordi Augusti and Mauricio Anton: Mammoths, Sabertooths and Hominids 65 Million Years of Mammalian Evolution in Europe, Columbia University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-231-11640-3
- Lister, Adrian und Bahn, Paul: Mammuts - Riesen der Eiszeit, Thorbecke Verlag, Sigmaringen 1997. ISBN 3-7995-9050-1