ABOUT THE DISCOVERY OF TEETH OF AN EXTINCT SPECIES OF THE ELEPHANT FAMILY ARCHIDISKODON MERIDIONALIS GROMOVI IN WESTERN KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

Molars of an extinct species of mammals of the elephant family (Elephantidae) were found in Pleistocene deposits near Uralsk (West Kazakhstan region, Republic of Kazakhstan). In the proposed work, generally accepted paleontological methods of field and desk research were used: methods of working with paleontological material to extract material from waste rock; morphological and morphometric analysis of fossils in species diagnostics. A series of teeth of M3/m3 shifts were described, where the subspecies of Archidiskodon meridionalis chronologically replace each other from Paleopleistocene (Middle Villafrank) localities of Western Kazakhstan. The description of the teeth indicators (frequency of plates, length of one plate, number of plates, enamel thickness, hypsodont index, crown proportion index) showed that the described indicators approach the indicators inherent in Archidiskodon [Elaphas] meridionalis gromovi.

For the examined teeth, the indicator of the length of one plate turned out to be very recognizable. The limits of variability in the size of the crown of teeth in different subspecies largely coincide.