Differences between Mammoth and Mastodon

Comparison Article

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Mammoth vs. Mastodon

Mammoths (genus Mammuthus) and mastodons (genus Mammut) are extinct relatives of modern elephants that lived during the Pleistocene epoch. Although both were large, herbivorous proboscideans, they belong to separate families and possessed distinct physical and behavioral traits. Mammoths are in the family Elephantidae, making them more closely related to today's elephants, while mastodons belong to the more distant family Mammutidae. The evolutionary line leading to mastodons diverged from that of mammoths and elephants about 25 million years earlier.

Fossil evidence shows that the two animals had different diets, which is reflected in the structure of their teeth. Their habitats also differed, with one preferring open grasslands and the other adapted to woodlands. Both groups co-existed in North America during the Ice Age but ultimately became extinct by the end of the Pleistocene.

Comparison Table

Category	Mammoth	Mastodon
Family	Elephantidae	Mammutidae
Size	Generally larger; up to 13 ft (4 m) at the shoulder	Shorter and stockier; 8 to 10 ft (2.5 to 3 m) at the shoulder
Head Shape	High, domed skull with a prominent knob on top	Lower, flatter skull
Tusks	Very long and strongly curved, sometimes crossing	Shorter, thicker, and less curved
Teeth	Flat, ridged molars for grinding	Cone-shaped, pointed molars for crushing
Diet	Grazer; primarily ate grasses	Browser; ate leaves, twigs, and bark from trees and shrubs
Habitat	Open environments such as grasslands, steppes, and tundra	Forests and woodlands
Extinction	Mainland populations extinct by ~10,000 years ago; isolated island populations survived until ~4,000 years ago	Extinct by ~11,000 years ago

Venn diagram comparing Differences between Mammoth and Mastodon

Diet and Dentition

The most significant differences between mammoths and mastodons are found in their teeth, which were adapted for different feeding strategies. Mammoths were primarily grazers, feeding on grasses and sedges in open plains. Their molars were flat with numerous enamel ridges, suitable for grinding tough vegetation, similar to those of modern elephants.

Mastodons, in contrast, were browsers that inhabited forests and woodlands. Their diet consisted of tougher material like leaves, twigs, and bark. To process this food, their molars had distinct cone-shaped cusps for crushing and breaking down woody plant matter. The name "mastodon" means "nipple tooth," referring to the shape of these cusps.

Physical Characteristics

In general, mammoths were larger than mastodons. Species like the Columbian mammoth could stand up to 13 feet (4 meters) tall at the shoulder. Mastodons were shorter and more robustly built, typically standing between 8 and 10 feet (2.5 to 3 meters) tall.

Their skulls also had different shapes. Mammoths had a high, domed head, while mastodons had a lower and flatter skull. Mammoth tusks were generally longer and more curved than the shorter, straighter tusks of mastodons. While both animals were covered in fur, the woolly mammoth is particularly known for its thick coat, an adaptation for living in cold environments.