PYGMY MAMMOTH TOOTH. ...

Description

PYGMY MAMMOTH TOOTH
Mammuthus primigenius
Holocene
Wrangel Island, Siberia
It seems odd that such a comparatively small tooth should come from a creature we regard as a massive lumbering beast, but the mammoths of Wrangle Island in the Arctic Circle, as a few other populations did elsewhere, developed a form of insular dwarfism resulting in creatures a fraction of the size of their mainland relatives. It is easy to see that this tooth came from a pygmy version: the wear to the upper grinding surface of the tooth is so extensive that it could not possibly come from a juvenile. It boasts a terrific root section and warm gray, black and brown coloring, and measures 2 x 1 3/8 x 2¼ inches.

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