Gomphothere

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Gomphotheres
Fossil range: Miocene - Pliocene

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Proboscidea
Superfamily:	Elephantoidea
Family:	Gomphotheriidae

Genus

? Gnathabelodon
? Archaeobelodon
? Protanancus
? Amebelodon
? Platybelodon
? Serbelodon
Gomphotherium
Sinomastodon
Eubelodon
Rhynchotherium
Stegomastodon
Haplomastodon
Notiomastodon
Cuvieronius
? Anancus
? Tetralophodon
? Paratetralophodon

The Gomphotheres are a diverse group of extinct elephant-like animals (proboscideans) that were widespread in North America during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, 12-1.6 million years ago. Some also lived in parts of Eurasia and Beringia.

Gomphotheres differed from elephants in their tooth structure, particularly the chewing surfaces on the molar teeth. Most had four tusks, and their retracted facial and nasal bones prompt paleontologists to believe that Gomphotheres had elephant-like trunks.

Examples of Gompotheres are the extinct genera Gomphotherium, Platybelodon, Amebelodon and the very recently extinct Cuvieronius.

The systematic and phylogeny of gomphotheres are unclear and the group might in fact be paraphyletic. The genus Gnathabelodon is often placed in its own family, the Gnathabelodontidae, and Archaeobelodon, Protonancus, Amebelodon, Platybelodon and Serbelodon are sometimes regrouped in a separate family, the Amebelodontidae. The genera Anancus, Tetralophodon, Stegomastodon and Paratetralophodon are placed by some authors within the gomphotheres, while others consider them as true Elephantidae.