Mammuthus meridionalis tooth (878 grams)

A partial, pathological tooth from Mammuthus meridionalis (Southern mammoth). The mammoth fossil was unearthed during gravel mining operations in Pest County, Hungary. The approximate dimensions of the tooth are: length 144 mm, height 77 mm, and width 108 mm. Its weight is approximately 878 grams (excluding packaging). The surface of the tooth has been preserved using Polyvinyl Butyral 30 dissolved in ethanol. (Archidiscodon) Mammuthus meridionalis: Body size: 3.5–4.2 m. Mass: approx. 7,000–10,000 kg. Geological age: Early Pleistocene, 2,500,000–550,000 years ago. Geographic distribution: Europe (Western and Southern Europe).

This species is also known as the "southern elephant." It appeared in Europe's mammalian fauna at the start of the Pleistocene, effectively serving as a symbol of the beginning of the Quaternary period. It is the earliest representative of the "true elephants." The appearance of this prehistoric elephant resembles that of the modern Indian elephant. Its back was nearly straight, with only a slight curve, whereas the back of the modern African elephant slopes steeply down from the shoulders. The tusks of the massive males curve slightly outward at the base, then extend horizontally and inward in a lyre-like shape. The tusks of the females were considerably smaller; they did not curve upward or twist inward. *Archidiscodon meridionalis* inhabited savannas but also lived in areas of sparse scrub and forests; it did not inhabit open grasslands classified strictly as steppes.