What approximate time separated the divergence of the woolly mammoth lineage from the Columbian mammoth lineage?
Answer
Around 1.5 million years ago
The evolutionary path leading to *Mammuthus primigenius* involved significant branching, one crucial point of which separated the ancestors of the woolly mammoth from those of the Columbian mammoth. Genetic studies point to this divergence occurring approximately 1.5 million years ago. This split established two distinct evolutionary branches within North America: the woolly mammoths adapted to the far northern cold steppes, while the Columbian mammoths occupied the generally warmer regions further south, demonstrating adaptive radiation based on regional climate.
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Evolution of the woolly mammoth - BBC science - YouTube
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