Elephantimorpha

Elephantimorphs
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Proboscidea
Suborder:	Elephantiformes
Clade:	Elephantimorpha; Tassy & Shoshani, 1997
Subgroups
	†Mammutidae; Elephantida;

Elephantimorpha is a group that contains the Mammutidae (mastodons), as well as Elephantida (amebelodonts, choerolophodonts, gomphotheres, stegodontids and elephantids). All members of this group have the horizontal tooth replacement typical of modern elephants, unlike more primitive members of the Elephantiformes.^[2] Like modern elephants, the ancestor of Elephantimorpha was likely capable of communicating via infrasonic calls.^[3]

Taxonomy[edit]

The following cladogram shows the relationships among elephantimorphs, based on hyoid characteristics:^[1]

Elephantimorpha

†Mammutidae (mastodons)

†Gomphotheriidae (gomphotheres)

	†Stegodontidae (stegodontids)

	Elephantidae

^ ^a ^b Shoshani, J.; Ferretti, M. P.; Lister, A. M.; Agenbroad, L. D.; Saegusa, H.; Mol, D.; Takahashi, K. (2007). "Relationships within the Elephantinae using hyoid characters". Quaternary International. 169–170: 174–185. Bibcode:2007QuInt.169..174S. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2007.02.003.
^ Sanders, William J. (2018-02-17). "Horizontal tooth displacement and premolar occurrence in elephants and other elephantiform proboscideans". Historical Biology. 30 (1–2): 137–156. doi:10.1080/08912963.2017.1297436. ISSN 0891-2963.
^ Benoit, Julien; Lyras, George A.; Schmitt, Arnaud; Nxumalo, Mpilo; Tabuce, Rodolphe; Obada, Teodor; Mararsecul, Vladislav; Manger, Paul (2023), Dozo, María Teresa; Paulina-Carabajal, Ariana; Macrini, Thomas E.; Walsh, Stig (eds.), "Paleoneurology of the Proboscidea (Mammalia, Afrotheria): Insights from Their Brain Endocast and Labyrinth", Paleoneurology of Amniotes, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 579–644, doi:10.1007/978-3-031-13983-3_15, ISBN 978-3-031-13982-6, retrieved 2024-04-19