Stegomastodon

Taxobox
name = "Stegomastodon"
status = fossil
fossil_range = Late Pliocene to Pleistocene
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Proboscidea
familia = Gomphotheriidae
genus = "Stegomastodon"
genus_authority = Pohlig, 1912
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
* "S. mirificus"
* "S. primitivus"
* "S. waringi"
* "S. platensis"

"Stegomastodon" ('roof nipple tooth') is an extinct genus of gomphothere, a family of proboscideans.

It stood 2.70 m (9 ft) tall and looked like a robust version of the modern elephant. It weighed about 13,200 lbs, or 6000 kg. Unlike most of its relatives, it had just two tusks, like modern elephants. These tusks curved upwards and were about 11 feet long, or 3.5 meters. "Stegomastodon"'s molars were covered in enamel and had a complex pattern of ridges and knobbly protrusions on them, giving the creature a large chewing surface enabling it to eat grass. It lived in North and South America, and its brain weighed about 11 lbs.

The two South American species arrived following the Great American Interchange. They were initially mixed feeders; "S. waringi" evolved towards grazing, while "S. platensis" evolved towards browsing.Citation
first = J. L.
last = Prado
author-link =
first2 = M. T.
last2 = Alberdi
first3 = B.
last3 = Azanza
first4 = B.
last4 = Sánchez
first5 = D.
last5 = Frassinetti
editor-last = Cavarretta
editor-first = G.
editor2-last = Gioia
editor2-first = P.
editor3-last = Mussi
editor3-first = M.
editor4-last = Palombo
editor4-first = M. R.
contribution = The Pleistocene Gomphotheres (Proboscidea) from South America: diversity, habitats and feeding ecology
contribution-url = http://www.cq.rm.cnr.it/elephants2001/pdf/337_340.pdf
title = The World of Elephants - Proceedings of the 1st International Congress, Rome October 16-20 2001
year = 2001
pages = 337-340
place = Rome
publisher = Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
url = http://www.cq.rm.cnr.it/elephants2001/atti_en.htm
doi =
id = ISBN 88-8080-025-6
accessdate = 2008-07-25] The "Stegomastodon" species occupied warmer, lower-altitude habitats east of the Andes, while the related gomphothere "Cuvieronius hyodon" occupied cooler, higher-altitude habitats.

References