| Deinotherium | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| General information | |||
| Universe | Real life | ||
| Classification | Deinotherium sp. | ||
| Species type | Proboscidean | ||
| Homeworld | Earth | ||
| Environment | Woodland areas | ||
| Intelligence | Like other elephants, Deinotherium is very intelligent and, like proboscideans, dolphins and apes, their iq is a 95 | ||
| Biochemistry | Carbon-based lifeform | ||
| Discovered | 17th century | ||
| Discoverer | Matsorier | ||
| Biological information | |||
| Average height | D. giganteum: 3.6-4 m (11'9.6"-13'1.2") at shoulder D. proavum: 3.6 m (11'9.6") at shoulder D. "thraciensis": 4.01 m (13'2.4") | ||
| Average weight | D. giganteum: 8.8-12 t (8.7-11.8 imperial/long tons, 9.7-13.2 US/short tons) D. proavum: 10.3 t (10.1 imperial/long tons, 11.4 US/short tons) D. "thraciensis": 13.2 t (13 imperial/long tons, 14.6 US/short tons) | ||
| Locomotion | Quadrupedal | ||
| Feeding behavior | Folivorous | ||
| Distinctive features | Downwards, back pointing tusks | ||
| Skin color | Grey | ||
| Lineage information | |||
| Related species | Prodeinotherium | ||
| Cultural information | |||
| Sociocultral characteristics | |||
| Scientific taxonomy | |||
| Planet | Earth | ||
| Domain | Eukaryota | ||
| Kingdom | Animalia | ||
| Subkingdom | Eumetazoa | ||
| Infrakingdom | Bilateria | ||
| Superphylum | Deuterostomia | ||
| Phylum | Chordata | ||
| Subphylum | Vertebrata | ||
| Infraphylum | Gnathostomata | ||
| Superclass | Tetrapoda | ||
| Class | Mammalia | ||
| Subclass | Theria | ||
| Infraclass | Placentalia | ||
| Superorder | Afrotheria | ||
| Order | Proboscidea | ||
| Suborder | Plesielephantiformes | ||
| Family | Deinotheriidae | ||
| Subfamily | Deinotheriinae | ||
| Genus | Deinotherium | ||
| Species | D. bozasi D. giganteum D. indicum D.? levius D.? proavum | ||
| Other information | |||
| Status | Extinct | ||
| Creator | God (debated) | ||
Deinotherium is an extinct genus of large, elephantine proboscideans that first appeared during the middle Miocene and lived up until the early Pleistocene. Despite resembling modern-day elephants, their necks were much more flexible, had limbs adapted to live a cursorial lifestyle, and had tusks that curved downwards and back. Unlike modern elephants, their tusks didn't emerge from the maxilla, but the mandible. Deinotherium was a widely spread genus, living from East Africa to the south of Europe and east to the Indian Subcontinent. They were browsing animals that had a diet made up of mostly leaves, and the most likely reason as to why they died out is because forested areas were replaced by open grasslands during the Neogene.
Description[]
Deinotherium was a large proboscidean displaying continued growth between species. The species D. giganteum ranged from 3.6-4 meters (11'9.6"-13'1.2") high at the shoulder and weighed from 8.8-12 t (8.7-11 imperial/long tons, 9.7-13.2 US/short tons), D.? proavum grew to be 3.6 m (11'9.6") tall at the shoulder and weighed up to 10.3 t (10.1 imperial/long tons, 11.4 US/short tons), and D. "thraciensis" grew to be 4.01 m (13'2.4") tall at the shoulder and weighed up to 13.2 t (13 imperial/long tons, 14.6 US/short tons). Deinotherium's general anatomy was similar to that of modern-day elephants with pillar-like legs, but are slightly longer and skinnier than those of other proboscideans. Its toe bones are longer and less robust compared to elephants and the neck is slightly longer, albeit not as long as a giraffe's neck.
D. giganteum's permanent tooth formula was 0.0.2.3./1.0.2.3. (0.0.3./1.0.3. deciduous), with vertical cheek tooth placement. Two groups of double crested teeth and triple crested teeth were present. Its molars and rear premolars were vertical shearing teeth, which suggests that dinotheres became an independent evolutionary branch pretty early on; the other premolars were purposed for crushing. Its skull was short, low, and flattened on the top, contrasting more advanced proboscideans which usually have higher, more domed foreheads. The largest Deinotherium skulls reached lengths of 120-130 cm (3'10"-4'3"). Its nasal bone opening was retracted and large, indicating that it had a large trunk. It had a long rostrum and a broad rostral fossa. Its lower jaw bone was very long and curved downwards, hence why it had backwards curving tusks.
These tusks are Deinotherium's most visible feature. Unlike in modern proboscideans, that have tusks protruding from the upper incisors, Deinotherium's tusks protrude from the lower incisors, lacking upper and lower canines entirely. The curvature is initially formed by the mandible itself, with the teeth erupting at only halfway in the curve. The degree in which the tusks follow the direction predetermined by the mandible varies between specimen to specimen, with some tusks follwing the curve and pointing backwards, making an almost semicircular shape, while other specimens have the tusks continuing down almost vertically. The tusks have an almost oval cross section and can reach lengths of 1.4 meters (4'7").
Paleoecology[]
Deinotherium was a folivorous, browsing proboscidean that preferred open woodlands and ate tree canopy leaves. In Asia, the species D. indicum had an association with wet, warm, low-energy woodland, and in Portugal there were deinotheriid remains found in regions with corresponding moist, tropical, and subtropical woodland conditions similar to that of modern day Senegal. A browsing lifestyle is supported by the inclination of the occiput which gives Deinotherium a slightly raised head posture, and their teeth, which strongly resemble modern tapir teeth. Their limbs show differences to Prodeinotherium, allowing for a more agile mode of locomotion making it easier for them to travel across open landscapes to find food, which explains the fact of the widespread breakup of forests and expansion of grasslands during Deinotherium's lifetime in Europe.