Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 18, 2026

Megabelodon

Megabelodon is an extinct genus of proboscidean which inhabited North America in from the Miocene to the Pliocene. Specimens were found in Nevada and New Mexico. The genus has been disputed, with some paleontologists considering Megabelodon as a synonym of Gomphotherium, while others have considered it to be a genus of amebelodontid.

Last revised
Jun 18, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
188 w
Citations
4
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Megabelodon
Temporal range:
M. lulli skeleton
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Placentalia
Order: Proboscidea
Family: †Gomphotheriidae
Genus: †Megabelodon
Barbour, 1914
Type species
†Megabelodon lulli
Barbour, 1914
Species
  • M. cruziensis Frick 1933
  • M. joraki Frick, 1933
  • M. lulli
  • M. minor Barbour 1934
  • M. phippsi Cook 1928

Megabelodon is an extinct genus of proboscidean which inhabited North America in from the Miocene to the Pliocene. Specimens were found in Nevada and New Mexico.12 The genus has been disputed, with some paleontologists considering Megabelodon as a synonym of Gomphotherium,3 while others have considered it to be a genus of amebelodontid.4

References

References

  1. "Fossilworks: Megabelodon". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  2. Osborn, Henry Fairfield (1936-01-01). Proboscidea. Рипол Классик. ISBN 9785871481677. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  3. Janis, Christine M.; Scott, Kathleen M.; Jacobs, Louis L. (1998-05-28). Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America: Volume 1, Terrestrial Carnivores, Ungulates, and Ungulate Like Mammals. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521355193.
  4. Li, Chunxiao; Deng, Tao; Wang, Yang; Sun, Fajun; Wolff, Burt; Jiangzuo, Qigao; Ma, Jiao; Xing, Luda; Fu, Jiao (2023-11-28), "Longer mandible or nose? Co-evolution of feeding organs in early elephantiforms", eLife, 12, doi:10.7554/eLife.90908.1, retrieved 2024-05-29