Amebelodontidae is an extinct

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

of large herbivorous mammals that were closely related to

elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae ...

s. They were formerly assigned to Gomphotheriidae, but recent authors consider them a distinct family.

Feeding habits

In the past, Amebelodonts' shovel-like mandibular tusks led to them being portrayed scooping up water plants. However, the wear pattern on the mandibular tusks of '' Platybelodon grangeri'' and ''P. barnumbrowni'' indicate that these taxa used their tusks to cut through vegetation in a specialized way.

Gallery

References

Prehistoric mammal families Miocene first appearances Pliocene extinctions {{paleo-proboscidean-stub