Mammuthus Essay

This journal looks at fossils of Mammuthus across Eurasia to explore why the fossils indicate notable transformation in the Mammuthus lineage over a short period of time. The researchers cast doubt on previous studies which support a gradual change in morphology that is simultaneous in the Mammuthus species range. From ~ 3.0 million years ago(MA) to the end of the Pleistocene era (~11.7 thousand years ago or ka) the Mammuthus population experienced significant evolutionary change: shortening and heightening of the mandible and skull, thinning of molar enamel, and an increase in hypsodont dentition (high-crowned teeth used for grassland feeding). Four chronospecies of Eurasian Mammuthus have been named based on these data: the first Elephantids known as Mammuthus rumanus, Early Pleistocene mammoths called M. meridionalis, Middle Pleistocene - M. trogontherii and Late Pleistocene known as M. primigenius. The researchers describe a new concept of Mammuthus evolution, based on the fossil timeline of the previously listed evolutionary changes, that does not involve a gradualistic model (a species evolving continuously in one direction) but instead relies on Darwinian

The conclusions are as follows: M. rumanus, the earliest, most primitive species, spread eastwards to China, then to Europe, ~ 3.0 Ma, evolving into a more dentally advanced M. meridionalis ~ 2.6–2.0 Ma. The location of this evolution is unknown, though from the M. meridionalis population M. trogontheriis morphology arose in China, and North Eastern Siberia ~ 2.0–1.0 Ma. Approximately 600–200ka, a group of M. trogontheriis in NE Siberia evolved to the M. primigenius stage, which at ~ 200ka shifted into Europe. The authors conclude that improvements in excavation abilities, dating technology, and more geological data will answer many uncertainties regarding the Eurasian Mammuthus