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Gomphothere
Gomphotheriidae is a diverse taxonomic family of extinct, superficially elephant-like proboscideans. Referred to as gomphotheres, they were widespread in North America during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, 12–1.6 million years ago. Some lived in parts of Eurasia, Beringia and, following the Great American Interchange, South America. Beginning about 5 million years ago, they were gradually replaced by modern elephants, but the last two South American species, in the genus ''Cuvieronius'', did not finally become extinct until possibly as recently as 9,100 BP,〔Rafael O. Labarca and Patrick G. Lopez, "Los mamíferos finipleistocénicos de la Formación Quebrada Quereo (IV Región-Chile): biogeografía, bioestratigrafía e inferencias paleoambientales", Mastozoología Neotropical, Volume 13, Number 1, (June 2006), 89-101〕 and ''Stegomastodon'' remains have been dated as recently as 6,060 BP in the Valle del Magdalena, Colombia. Gomphotheres also survived in Mexico and Central America until the end of the Pleistocene.
The name "gomphothere" comes from Ancient Greek γόμφος, "peg, pin; wedge; joint" plus θηρίον, "beast".
==Description==
Gomphotheres differed from elephants in their tooth structure, particularly the chewing surfaces on the molar teeth. Most had four tusks, and their retracted facial and nasal bones prompt paleontologists to believe that gomphotheres had elephant-like trunks. The early gomphotheres, such as ''Phiomia'', had elongated upper and lower jaws, with relatively short tusks. Two lineages appear to have arisen from these ancestors. One, including animals such as ''Anancus'', developed the short lower jaw typical of modern elephants, while the others, including ''Platybelodon'', developed the lower jaw into an elongated 'shovel', and shortened the upper jaw.
抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』
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