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Elephants and Their Fossil Relatives
A 60 Million Year Journey
Brief Description
The ultimate illustrated guide to elephants and their prehistoric relatives.Today, only three species of elephants survive the African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana), the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), and the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). However, these modern giants represent just a fraction of the vast and...
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Elephants and Their Fossil Relatives
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Description
The ultimate illustrated guide to elephants and their prehistoric relatives.
Today, only three species of elephants survive the African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana), the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), and the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). However, these modern giants represent just a fraction of the vast and diverse order Proboscidea, which includes not only living elephants but also their many extinct relatives. Over the past 60 million years, proboscideans have evolved and adapted across five continents, giving rise to an astonishing variety of forms, from the massive, woolly-coated mammoths of the Ice Age to the diminutive, island-dwelling dwarf elephants.
This book offers a comprehensive exploration of proboscidean biology and evolutionary history, shedding light on the remarkable diversity of these extraordinary mammals. It delves into the anatomical characteristics of every known species, from the towering steppe mammoth (Mammuthus trogontherii) and the shovel-tusked Amebelodon to the semi-aquatic Moeritherium and the enigmatic Deinotherium. Readers will discover how these creatures developed an array of specialised adaptations, including variations in tusk shape and function, highly flexible trunks suited for different feeding strategies, and unique dental structures that allowed them to process a wide range of vegetation.
Accompanied by stunning illustrations by Shu-yu Hsu, Elephants and Their Fossil Relatives brings these ancient giants back to life, offering a visually captivating and scientifically rigorous journey through their evolutionary past. Whether you are a paleontology enthusiast, a student of evolutionary biology, or a researcher in the field, this book serves as an indispensable reference for understanding one of the most extraordinary groups of animals ever to walk the earth.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780691183770
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 17 March 2026
Country: United States
Imprint: Princeton University Press
Illustration: 80 color drawings, 80 color and b/w figures; 314 b/w drawings; 17 tables
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 225.0mm
Height: 286.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 368
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About the Author
Asier Larramendi is a distinguished researcher on extinct elephants and the General Director of Eofauna Scientific Research. His work, published in leading journals, has made significant contributions to proboscidean morphometrics and vertebrate comparative anatomy. He has also consulted for TV productions.
Marco P. Ferretti is associate professor of paleontology at the University of Camerino in Italy. Specialising in the systematics and evolution of fossil proboscideans, he has authored numerous scientific publications and participated in fieldwork across Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America.
Born in 1967 in Taipei, Taiwan, Shu-yu Hsu studied art in college and worked as an illustrator, storyboard artist, and film art director. He also creates paleoart, illustrating and designing figurines of extinct animals, with his work featured in museums worldwide.
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