Elephantidae is the family of elephants, order Proboscidea, containing the genus Loxodonta, the African elephants, and the genus Elephas, the Asian elephant, the only two genera with living members today. The family also contained the now-extinct mammoths, genus Mammuthus, and several other extinct genera known from the Pliocene and Pleistocene fossil record. Elephants are the largest living land animals, distinguished by a muscular trunk, long tusks, and large ears used for thermoregulation.
Facts
Taxonomic Rank Scientific Name Member Species/Taxa Count Geographic DistributionElephantid genera Elephas and Mammuthus dispersed out of Africa during the late Pliocene, about 3.6 to 3.2 million years ago; living members occur in Africa (Loxodonta) and Asia (Elephas) 1 Defining CharacteristicsDistinguished from more basal proboscideans such as gomphotheres by teeth with parallel lophs 1 Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceLarge terrestrial mammals with a snout modified into a trunk and teeth modified into tusks 1 Sources
1. Elephantidae - Wikipedia
Lead sentence
Elephantidae is a family of large, herbivorous proboscidean mammals
Lead sentence, family name clause
Elephantidae is a family of large, herbivorous proboscidean mammals
Lead paragraph, living genera clause
living elephants (belonging to the genera Elephas and Loxodonta)
Evolutionary history section
The elephantid genera Elephas and Mammuthus migrated out of Africa during the late Pliocene, around 3.6 to 3.2 million years ago
Description section
Elephantids are distinguished from more basal proboscideans like gomphotheres by their teeth, which have parallel lophs
Lead paragraph, description clause
Large terrestrial mammals with a snout modified into a trunk and teeth modified into tusks.
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