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Introduction
¡@¡@Amebelodon had the body size of the modern elephant, but the skulls of these two, in particular, the jaw and incisor, are different. The elephants we know either existing or extinct have a pair of upper incisors pointing upward and the lower incisor became less prominent.Amebelodon , however, had more prominent lower incisors also pointing downwards and developing into the wide and flat shovel shaped tusk-incisors. Thus, a one-meter long scoop-like lower jaw was formed.
¡@¡@This special structure enabled Amebelondon to live with the water and grass in the shallow rive or swamp. By using the shovel shaped lower incisor, Amebelondon was able to lift the grass, remove and curl the grass to the mouth.
¡@¡@Amebelondon once distributed in Europe, Africa and Asia in Miocene and apparently, the shovel shaped tusk-incisors was modified due to the collection of water grass. On the other hand, after being highly evolved, animals have the difficulties to adapt to climate or environmental changes and thus, become extinct. Amebelondonneeded to live nearby where water grass grown and when the climate change or geological movement dried up the livers and swamps, they lost the food supply and quickly came to the extinction.
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