Thomas R. Logan¹ and S. G. Lucas¹

UNM (university of New Mexico) -P-1 is a right ramus bearing M₃ of Mammuthus imperator. This specimen was collected from Quaternary alluvium along Salt Creek on tbe Marley Ranch northwest of Roswell. The following features justify assignment of UNM-P-1 to M. imperator: (1) M₃ has 11+ plates. (2) M₃ length = 218 mm and maximum width = 95 mm, making it a relatively broad tooth. (3) M₃ lamellar frequency = 5, an upper limit considering how highly worn this tooth is. (4) Enamel thickness: n = 20, x = 2.7 mm. (5) Enamel to enamel thickness of a plate: n = 18, x = 14.9 mm. (6) Thickness of dentin between enamel walls: n = 18, x = 9.2 mm. (7) Thickness of cementum separating enamel plates: n = 18, x = 6.0 mm. (8) Length of one complete loph and cementum separator: n = 17, x = 21. 5 mm. (9) Lack of a well developed anterior symphyseal process.

M. imperator is a relatively primitive Pleistocene mammoth typical of middle Pleistocene (late Irvingtonian) localities. This is the first report of M. imperator from New Mexico.

1983 New Mexico Geological Society Annual Spring Meeting April 29, 1983, Macey Center Online ISSN: 2834-5800

Pages: 19