Detail View: Snowmass: Mastodon Teeth

File Name: 
IV.CI-EPV.60701-b.D.jpg
catalog number: 
IV.CI-EPV.60701-b.D
collection: 
Snowmass
title: 
Mastodon Teeth
creator: 
Richard M. Wicker
creator type: 
Photographer
creator: 
Jill Skorpen
creator type: 
creator of digital collection
description: 
Mastodon teeth from Snowmass excavation. Clockwise from back (large tooth): Adult mastodon tooth- EPV.60701, Juvenile mastodon tooth- EPV.60698, Infant mastodon tooth- EPV.60697. Mammoths and Mastodons are related, but differ in size, diet, and range. Mammoths are larger than Mastodons, have much longer tusks, and are primarily found in northern climates, while Mastodons are found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. It is easy to tell one from the other by their teeth. Mammoths were grazers, while Mastodons were browsers. A Mammoth tooth is tall and broad, with ridged plates for grinding grass. A Mastodon tooth has 6 to 8 cone-shaped cusps, suited for eating twigs and leaves.
date: 
Dec. 29, 2010
date type: 
date of photograph
location: 
USA, Colorado, Denver Museum of Nature and Science
modified: 
No
format: 
image/jpg
file size: 
4.57 MB
source: 
Nikon D300
rights: 
Use with permission of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science