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HUGE MASTODON THORACIC VERTEBRA WITH DORSAL PROCESS - Aucilla River - Northern Florida, U.S.A. LATE PLIOCENE TO LATE PLEISTOCENE PERIOD: 1.8 million - 10,000 years ago With the same display appeal and awe as any dinosaur vertebra, this impeccable Mammut americanum or 'American' mastodon thoracic vertebra is an incredible specimen to view in person. It is MASSIVE and conveys the enormous size these beasts attained. This was one of the largest vertebra in the spine of the Mastodon. It is in very rare form to be so dense and well-mineralized and this was the result of being buried deep in a protective layer of peat. The presence of the nearly complete dorsal process which (has been reattached) is RARE!!! This exceptionally well-preserved specimen was found in association with LM15-004 and LM15-003 and could very well be from the same Mastodon. All were found together in a Pleistocene spring deposit off the Aucilla River in Northern Florida. The surfaces on the joints are impeccable but this vertebra is from a juvenile so the epiphyseal disc has not been fused on one side. This is an anatomical feature that is an excellent example of how bone anatomy can be used to diagnose the approximate stage of life that the prehistoric beast was at when it died. Other joint surfaces are dense well-displayed. The images above attest but this specimen looks even better in person than in the images!This vertebra was buried in a protective peat bed, hence its excellent state of preservation and beautiful ivory and brown hue. Only one of the corners of the transverse processes was exposed hence the dark brown different color in that region. This very unique Mastodon fossil boasts of no restoration and has only been repaired but no part has been fabricated where missing. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and very rare! Emerging 55 million years ago, the group of mammals called Proboscideans are identified by the presence of tusks and a trunk and comprise three families: Mammutidae, Gomphotheriidae and Elephantidae. In Florida, the mastodon, a member of the family Mammutidae (mammoths are members of Elephantidae), represents one of two of the oldest known proboscideans first dating back to the Miocene. They became extinct 11,000 years ago along with all other proboscideans in Florida. When standing aside a mammoth, the mastodon looks just like a Neanderthal version of the proboscideans. The body form is shorter, more stout and robust and lends itself to a much more muscular physique in contrast to the more graceful and taller mammoth. The cheek teeth of mastodons are also more primitive with sharp crests and a dramatic lobed surface in unworn examples compared to the flat and fine ridged surface of mammoth teeth that resemble the sole of a boating sneaker. These differences tell us about the types of food that both types of creatures ate. The mastodon was more suited for forest environments with teeth that were well adapted for chewing tougher vegetation like twigs, leaves, shrubs, fruits, pinecones, pine needles and mosses. The mammoth with its smoother teeth, was best suited for the open plains feeding on a variety of grasses. A mastodon, like all proboscideans, has a system of horizontal tooth replacement whereby new molars erupt from the rear of the jaw and move forward. The most worn teeth at the front, are pushed out of the jaw. Sometimes while still in the jaw, the anterior portion of a worn front tooth is broken off. These partial teeth are found as fossils along with complete specimens. A baby proboscidean at age 6, will have already had three sets of teeth. By 13 years of age, the fourth set emerges followed by a fifth set at age 27 years. The final set of teeth come in around 43 years of age and as it wears away, the animal eventually starves to death and dies on average between 60 and 80 years of age. Interestingly, the animal's life is limited by the fact that after the sixth set, no new teeth grow in to replace the final worn down set and the animal is no longer able to chew its food. This characteristic is still true of modern elephants. PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST COMPLETE FOSSILS OF THE LARGEST VERTEBRAE OF THE MASTODON YOU WILL EVER ENCOUNTER! 22.25" long x 14" wide $1195 LM15-006 INCLUDES STAND Actual Item - One Only |
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Florida 'American' mastodon |
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area highlighted above is where this vertebra would be located in the spinal column |
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Comparison of the skeletal structure and body types of a Florida 'American' mastodon (left) and a Florida 'Columbian' mammoth (right) |
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