Sexual Dimorphism and Inter-Generic Variation in Proboscidean Tusks: Multivariate Assessment of American Mastodons (Mammut americanum) and Extant African Elephants

Smith, Kathlyn M.; Fisher, Daniel C.

doi:10.1007/s10914-013-9225-6

Cited by 22 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…The preserved left tusk alveolus is subcircular in cross section and of small diameter (the maximal and minimal diameters are 38 and 31 mm respectively). This indicates that the tusks were also slender and thus the specimen is likely to be attributed to a female individual, in accordance with the tusk sexual dimorphism observed in other proboscidean species (Layser and Buss, 1985;Averianov, 1996;Smith and Fisher, 2013). This deduction is supported by the recent discovery of a large presumably male tusk (82 cm long, 65 mm in diameter) a few meters away from the skull, preliminarily presented by Iliopoulos et al (2011), but unavailable for further study (see Section 6.1).…”

Section: Skullsupporting

confidence: 79%

Cranial evidence for the presence of a second endemic elephant species on Cyprus

Athanassiou

Herridge

Reese

et al. 2015

Quaternary International

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Section: Skullsupporting

confidence: 79%

Cranial evidence for the presence of a second endemic elephant species on Cyprus

Athanassiou

Herridge

Reese

et al. 2015

Quaternary International

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“…The tusk size and the anterior mandibular height are features that have been used for establishing sexual dimorphism in American mastodons, revealing that males are usually larger than females (Green, 2006;Smith and Fisher, 2013). The mean mandibular height of UAHMP-311 (210 mm) is within the observed range for adult male specimens of Mammut americanum from several Rancholabrean localities of Florida (200 -225 mm) (Green, 2006: fig.…”

Section: Postcranial Elementsmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…The material was compared with specimens of Mammut americanum reported in Olsen (1972), Harington et al (1974), Saunders (1996), Green (2006), Hodgson et al (2008), Woodman and Branstrator (2008), and Smith and Fisher (2013).…”

Section: Studied Sample and Taxonomic Identificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Description of mastodons (Mammut americanum) from the late Pleistocene of southeastern Hidalgo, central Mexico

Bravo-Cuevas

Morales-García

Cabral-Perdomo

2015

BSGM

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Fossil specimens of American mastodons (Mammut americanum) that have been recovered from fluvial sedimentary deposits of the late Pleistocene of southeastern Hidalgo, central Mexico, are formally described. The sample includes cranial and postcranial remains of an adult male that represents one of the most complete mastodons that have been found in Mexico, as well as a molar belonging to an old individual. The material from Hidalgo shows the following diagnostic features of M. americanum: well-developed tusks that curved upward; upper and lower molars with a simple occlusal pattern; last molars with four to five lophs/ids; a medial sulcus between the lophs/ids; a scapula with a straight caudal border, a short and expanded neck, and a glenoid cavity that is oval in outline; a short and robust humerus with a prominent epicondylar crest; a radius with a wide distal end; and an ulna with a well-developed olecranon process and a deep trochlear notch. The dental size of the mastodon from Hidalgo is comparable to that of mastodons from the Gulf Coastal Plain and the Great Lakes region, whereas the limb dimensions are similar to those of the Watkins Glen Mastodon from the late Pleistocene of New York. In order to characterize the diet and habitat of the mastodons from Hidalgo, a stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis in tooth enamel apatite was performed. The results indicate that studied specimens were mainly C3 browsers (mean δ 13 C isotope value of -10.06 ‰) that thrived in closed habitats covered by high vegetation, such as trees (mean δ 18 O isotope value of -4.31 ‰). This information suggests the presence of closed habitats in the southeastern region of Hidalgo, during the second half of the Pleistocene.Keywords: mastodons, taxonomy, palaeoecology, Hidalgo, central Mexico. Resumen Se describen formalmente ejemplares de mastodontes Americanos (Mammut americanum) recuperados de depósitos sedimentarios

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“…Sexual dimorphism (i.e., differences in form between males and females belonging to the same species) is a widespread attribute in extant mammals (Ralls, 1977;Smith and Fisher, 2013), mainly represented by differences in body size (Isaac, 2005), but also including coloration, horns, and antlers (McDonald, 2006). In most species, males are larger than females.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dimorphism in Quaternary Scelidotheriinae (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Phyllophaga)

Miño-Boilini

Zurita

2015

Palaeontologia Electronica

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The contributions concerning possible cases of sexual dimorphisms in fossil and living sloths are scarce. Until now, studies in fossil ground sloth sexual dimorphism have been limited to the subfamilies Megatheriinae (Eremotherium) and Mylodontinae (Paramylodon) from the Pliocene and Pleistocene of South America and North America. Scelidotheriinae constitutes an endemic lineage of ground sloths from South American, with a biochron age ranging the lapse "Friasian"-Lujanian SALMAs (middle Miocene-early Holocene). An integral phylogenetic and taxonomic revision of the Quaternary Scelidotheriinae shows that it is possible to recognize three genera and six species: Scelidotherium Owen (Scelidotherium leptocephalum and S. bravardi), Valgipes Gervais (Valgipes bucklandi), and Catonyx Ameghino (Catonyx cuvieri, C. tarijensis, and C. chiliensis). One of the most noticeable aspects in some specimens analyzed (n= 47) was the presence of two morphtypes in each species at the level of the dorsal crests of the skull (parasagittal crests and sagittal crest) and at the level of the distal-most region of the mandible (only in C. tarijensis). In all but two species (S. leptocephalum and S. bravardi) the two types involve the absence and presence of a sagittal crest. We suggest that specimens with sagittal crest are males, and specimens lacking sagittal crest are females. This represents the third reported ground sloth clade with evidence of sexual dimorphism of the skull and mandible.

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Sexual Dimorphism and Inter-Generic Variation in Proboscidean Tusks: Multivariate Assessment of American Mastodons (Mammut americanum) and Extant African Elephants

Cited by 22 publications

References 43 publications

Cranial evidence for the presence of a second endemic elephant species on Cyprus

Cranial evidence for the presence of a second endemic elephant species on Cyprus

Description of mastodons (Mammut americanum) from the late Pleistocene of southeastern Hidalgo, central Mexico

Dimorphism in Quaternary Scelidotheriinae (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Phyllophaga)

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