Extinct genus of mammals
Konobelodon is an extinct genus of amebelodont proboscidean from the Miocene of Africa, Eurasia and North America.
Taxonomy.
"Konobelodon" was originally coined as a subgenus of "Amebelodon", and was subsequently elevated to full generic rank in a 2014 re-appraisal of ""Mastodon" atticus". Within Amebelodontinae, "Konobelodon" is closely related to "Platybelodon" and "Torynobelodon". The genus "Konobelodon" likely originated in eastern Eurasia, with "K. robustus" being known from the Liushu Formation in the Gansu Province of China. Under this hypothesis, it diverged via separate migrations westward into Europe and western Asia, represented by "K. atticus", and eastward into North America, where the genus arrived c. 7 Ma and survived until the very end of the Miocene. The species "Konobelodon cyrenaicus" is known from the Late Miocene of North Africa, representing the latest surviving amebelodont on the African continent.
Description.
As shovel-tusked amebelodonts, "Konobelodon" has two pairs of tusks, one growing from the upper jaw and a second from the lower. "K. robustus" is estimated to have had a body mass between , making it generally larger than most gomphotheres on account of its thicker limb bones. Its standing posture, however, was not likely as column-like as that of extant elephants and American brevirostrine gomphotheres. The lower tusks were proportionally large, reaching in length.
Ecology.
"Konobelodon" is suggested to have been a browser, based on dental microwear analysis. The upper tusks were likely used for slicing and scraping, while the lower tusks may have been used for digging.
References.
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