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Giant Prehistoric Tusks Found in Greece
"These animals, in their bones, hold a whole load of information about the environment at the time _ not just the animal," said Martill, an independent expert not connected with the excavation.
The bones will also be scoured for the remote chance of finding DNA material.
  In this image released by the University of Thessaloniki, Evangelia Tsoukala, assistant professor of geology at the University of Thessaloniki, right, sits with fellow researchers beside two large tusks and bone remains from a mastodon are seen in this time delay hand out picture picture in an excavated sandpit, at the village of Milia Greece on Sunday, July 22, 2007. Greek and Dutch researchers at the site said the remains are 2.5 millions years old and could provide insight into how the primitive elephant became extinct. The largest tusk is 5 meters long. (AP Photo/HO Evangelia Tsoukala) (Evangelia Tsoukala - AP) PHOTOS |
Researchers from Germany and the United States recently analyzed genetic material from an American mastodon recovered from fossils up to 130,000 years old found in Alaska, providing clearer insight into the evolution of elephants.
If DNA is recovered from the animal found in Greece _ which Mol acknowledges is "very doubtful" _ it could allow researchers to compare it to other European and American mastodon fossils at an unprecedented level of detail.
The tusks were discovered in October by an excavation machine operator working at a sand quarry, but it took months for the scientific investigation to be organized.
Tsoukala, who has been conducting excavations in the region since 1990, found a mastodon tusk measuring more than 14 feet long in the same area 10 years ago. She said the latest discovery is more significant because the skeletal remains are more complete.
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On the Net:
Museum of Natural History in Rotterdam: http:/
Study of mastodon DNA: http:/
Thessaloniki University's Department of Geology: http:/
