Mammuthus meridionalis partial axis vertebra (5147 grams)

Mammuthus meridionalis (southern mammoth) partial (axis) second cervical vertebra bone. The mammoth fossil came to the surface during gravel mining in Pest County, Hungary. The dimensions of the vertebra are approx.: length 122 mm, height 193 mm, width 280 mm. Its weight is approx. 5147 grams + packaging. The surface of the tooth is preserved with a substance called Polyvinyl Butyral 30 dissolved in ethanol.

"(Archidiscodon) Mammuthus meridionalis: Body dimensions: 3.5-3.8 m Geological age: Lower Pleistocene, 2,500,000-550,000 years ago Geographical distribution: Europe (Western and Southern Europe)

This species is also called the "southern elephant". It appears in the mammal fauna of Europe with the Pleistocene, so it can even be a symbol of the beginning of the Quaternary. The very first representative of real elephants. The appearance of this ancient elephant is reminiscent of the Indian elephant living today. Its back was almost straight, only slightly curved, while the African elephant living today slopes steeply from the front shoulder girdle. The tusks of the huge males bend slightly outward at the base, then horizontally and at the same time towards the center in a lute shape. The tusks of the females were much smaller, they did not bend upwards or twist inwards. Archidiscodon meridionalis was an inhabitant of savannahs, but also lived in sparse scrubby landscapes and forests; it did not inhabit grassy steppes that can be clearly called steppes.