Which group of extinct and extant proboscideans is encompassed by the Family Elephantidae?
Answer
Mammoths (*Mammuthus*), straight-tusked elephants (*Palaeoloxodon*), and modern elephants (*Loxodonta* and *Elephas*)
The Family Elephantidae serves as the taxonomic grouping that contains all members classified as 'true elephants,' including both those species that are currently living and those that have gone extinct. This family is diverse, encompassing several distinct genera. Specifically, it includes the mammoths (*Mammuthus*), the straight-tusked elephants known as *Palaeoloxodon*, and the modern elephant genera, which are *Loxodonta* (African elephants) and *Elephas* (Asian elephants). This placement confirms the Woolly Mammoth's close evolutionary kinship with living elephant species.
Related Questions
What is the scientific designation assigned to the Woolly Mammoth?What specialized feature defines membership in the Order Proboscidea for the Woolly Mammoth?What set of key characteristics defines the Woolly Mammoth's placement within Class Mammalia?What feature, characteristic of Phylum Chordata, implies the Woolly Mammoth possessed a backbone?Which modern elephant species is recognized as being genetically closest to the Woolly Mammoth (*Mammuthus*) genus?What critical function does the NCBI taxonomy ID 37349 serve when discussing ancient remains like the Woolly Mammoth?What characteristic defines the Woolly Mammoth's placement in the Kingdom Animalia at the highest level of organization?Which group of extinct and extant proboscideans is encompassed by the Family Elephantidae?According to evolutionary lines, which mammoth species is the Woolly Mammoth (*M. primigenius*) considered a direct descendant of?What specific morphological trait concerning tusks historically separated the *Mammuthus* genus before genetic confirmation?