What is the difference between a mammoth and a mastodon?

Zbeckabee

The Mastodon was a relative of the prehistoric Mammoth, although similar in appearance there was a numerous amount of difference between the two. The mammoth and mastodon are often misconceived to be much larger than what they really are. They are, in fact, very similar in size to the modern day Asian elephant, which grows up to 3 meters high at the shoulder. The coat of a mammoth was similar to that of musk oxen, growing up to 90 centimeters in length. Other physical characteristics of the mammoth included a high-peaked forehead, and a high hump that resulted from their long spines and neck vertebrae and possibly accentuated by fat deposits and thick hair. They had a shorter trunk than the modern day Asian or African elephants that we are used to seeing today. The Mammoth tusk is curved and can be almost long as the mammoth is tall. The tusks could reach lengths up to 4.2 meters. The Mastodon tusk was much shorter than the mammoth tusk at 2.5 meters in length. The mastodon had the same number of teeth as the mammoth did throughout their lifetimes, but the mastodons had more teeth in their jaw at any one time. Their teeth could get five inches in diameter and two and half inches thick. The mastodons had simple and low crowned teeth showing that the animal had a tendency to eat softer vegetation such as twigs and leaves. Their teeth are very distinctive. They're coated with enamel and have 6-8 cone-shaped cusps and are similar to that of a pig’s molar. The roots of their teeth can be in singular form or can be attached to themselves. MUCH more along with pictures: http://skywalker.cochise.edu/wellerr/students/mammoth-mastodon/mastodon.htm Mar 11 10, 8:05 PM