First Mammuthus findings from Samsun district (Türkiye)

Abstract

Located between Africa, Asia and Europe, Anatolia is a crossroads for the migration of many mammals such as elephantids. For this reason, important fossils belonging to different species of elephantids were found from various localities. In this study, mammoth molars found in Samsun-Ladik were examined. As a result of the examination, M. meridionalis and M. trogontherii were identified for the first time from this region. Although the number of fossils examined is very small, the results obtained are very important as Mammuthus was identified for the first time from Samsun. When considered together with the Mammuthus species identified from Anatolia so far, the results obtained from Samsun will provide information about the distribution of the Mammuthus genus in Anatolia and the changes it has undergone.