The American mastodon (Mammut americanum) was a large, extinct land mammal that roamed North America during the Ice Age. It was a close relative of modern elephants and mammoths, belonging to the order Proboscidea.
* Appearance: Mastodons were stockier and had a more muscular build than mammoths. They stood about 8 to 10 feet (2.5-3 meters) tall at the shoulder and weighed between 8,000 and 10,000 lbs (3,500-4,500 kg), with males being heavier. They had large, slightly curved tusks and were covered in a coat of dense hair to protect them from the cold. Their skulls were lower-domed than mammoths, aligning more with their spines.
* Habitat: American mastodons preferred cool woodlands, pine forests, and boggy areas rich in larch and spruce. Their broad feet and splayed toe bones helped them navigate soft, waterlogged ground near ponds and lakes. Their range was vast, extending from Arctic Alaska to Florida and as far south as Honduras.
* Diet: Unlike mammoths, which were primarily grazers of grass, American mastodons were browsers. Their teeth had low, rounded cusps, ideal for snapping and chewing on twigs, leaves, and other parts of shrubs and trees. They frequently ate coniferous leaves, especially spruce and pine.
* Social Behavior: Similar to modern elephants, female mastodons and their young likely lived in herds, while adult males tended to live more solitary lives.
* Extinction: The American mastodon went extinct around 10,500 years ago, along with many other large mammals in North America. While the exact cause is still debated, climate change at the end of the Pleistocene epoch and human hunting are considered major contributing factors.
The American mastodon holds a significant place in the history of paleontology and American culture. Its fossils were among the first found in North America, and they played a role in early scientific and political discussions about the continent's natural history.