What were the Gomphotheres?
Q: What were the Gomphotheres?
A: The Gomphotheres were a family of extinct elephant-like animals (proboscidea).
Q: When were Gomphotheres common in North America?
A: They were common in North America during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, 12-1.6 million years ago.
Q: Where else did Gomphotheres live?
A: Some lived in parts of Eurasia, Beringia, and South America after the Great American Interchange.
Q: What replaced Gomphotheres?
A: They were gradually replaced by modern elephants beginning about five million years ago.
Q: When did the last two South American species of Gomphotheres become extinct?
A: The last two South American species, in the genus Cuvieronius, did not become extinct until about 9000 years ago.
Q: When and where have Stegomastodon remains been found?
A: Stegomastodon remains have been dated as recently as 6,000 years ago in the Valle del Magdalena, Colombia.
Q: What is credited for the loss of large animal species, including Gomphotheres?
A: The arrival of mankind in the Americas about 11,000 years ago is generally credited for the loss of large species of all kinds of animals, including Gomphotheres. However, the details are unknown.
