''Archaeobelodon'' is an extinct genus of

proboscidea Proboscidea (; , ) is a taxonomic order of afrotherian mammals containing one living family (Elephantidae) and several extinct families. First described by J. Illiger in 1811, it encompasses the elephants and their close relatives. Three l ...

n of the family

Amebelodontidae Amebelodontidae is an extinct family (biology), family of large herbivorous proboscidean mammals related to elephants. They were formerly assigned to Gomphotheriidae, but recent authors consider them a distinct family. They are distinguished from ...

that lived in Europe and

North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...

(Egypt) during the

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

from 16.9 to 16.0 Ma, living for approximately . Archaeobelodon filholi

''Archaeobelodon'' was an ancestor of '' Platybelodon'' and '' Amebelodon''. ''Archaeobelodon'' had a trunk and

tusk Tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth that protrude well beyond the mouth of certain mammal species. They are most commonly canine tooth, canine teeth, as with Narwhal, narwhals, chevrotains, musk deer, water deer, muntjac, pigs, ...

s. It reached a weight of about 2305 - 3477 kg, being smaller than a modern

elephant Elephants are the largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant ('' Loxodonta africana''), the African forest elephant (''L. cyclotis''), and the Asian elephant ('' Elephas maximus ...

References

Amebelodontidae Miocene proboscideans Miocene mammals of Africa Prehistoric placental genera Fossil taxa described in 1984 {{paleo-proboscidean-stub