A 2.34-meter mastodon tusk discovered in Argentina has set a new South American record, surpassing previous finds by nearly 30 centimeters. The fossil, unearthed in Buenos Aires province, dates back hundreds of thousands of years and highlights the region’s significance in prehistoric paleontology.
The Museo Paleontológico de San Pedro in Buenos Aires province has unveiled what it calls the longest mastodon tusk ever recorded in South America. Measuring 2.34 meters, the fossilized defensa belongs to a Notiomastodon platensis and was found in the Bajo del Tala area of San Pedro, 170 kilometers from Buenos Aires. The discovery, made during weekly prospections, surpasses the previous record of 2.05 meters set by naturalist Florentino Ameghino in 1876.
The Discovery Process
The tusk was located in the “El Silencio” ranch, part of the Fossatti family’s property, during a routine survey of eroded terrain. José Luis Aguilar, the museum’s director and lead researcher, described the extraction as a delicate operation. José Luis Aguilar, the museum’s director and lead researcher, said that although they are very large, these pieces are very fragile. They break easily. And sometimes the roots of nearby trees get into the cracks of the fossil and split it. To preserve the specimen, the team constructed a protective “armadura” of wire mesh and liquid plaster, enabling safe transport to the museum.
Hallazgo récord en Argentina
The excavation involved a multidisciplinary team, including university researchers and local volunteers. The initial search party included Aguilar, Walter Parra, and Alexis Celié, who was the first to spot the fossil. Subsequent recovery efforts added Luis Dzickiewicz, Bruno Rolfo, Jorge Martínez, Augusto Moleón, Julio Simonini, and Tomás Bronce, along with Dr. Luciano Brambilla and Lic. Damián Ibarra from the Universidad Nacional de Rosario. The team’s work was guided by the museum’s ongoing weekly prospections, which focus on areas with exposed geological layers.
The tusk’s dimensions—2.34 meters on the outer curve, 20 centimeters at the base, and 10 centimeters at the tip—suggest an unusually large individual for the species.
Historical Context and Significance
The new record outstrips the previously documented 1.86-meter tusk from Colombia’s Agualinda site. Aguilar emphasized the find’s importance for understanding mastodon ecology. The microstructure of the dentin, the hard tissue inside tusks and teeth, could reveal growth patterns specific to the Pampean region. This could provide insights into how these animals adapted to their environment, he explained. The fossil’s location—four meters underground in a grayish-green stratum—also indicates the prehistoric climate and water availability that supported these megafauna.
Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale sets
The museum had previously held the record for the longest tusk in South America, a 2.26-meter specimen discovered in 2006. This latest find, however, eclipses that achievement, reinforcing Argentina’s role as a critical site for paleontological research. It’s a testament to the region’s rich fossil heritage, Aguilar said. The team also reviewed literature from Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Perú, Ecuador, and Brasil, finding no comparable records for Notiomastodon platensis in any South American country.
What’s Next for the Fossil?
The tusk will undergo further analysis to determine if it can provide insights into the mastodon’s age, sex, or environmental conditions. While isolated teeth or tusks cannot fully reconstruct an animal’s biology, the specimen’s exceptional size and preservation offer a rare opportunity to study Late Pleistocene ecosystems. Researchers plan to publish their findings in a peer-reviewed journal, with the museum hoping to display the tusk publicly in the coming months.
The team’s work continues to uncover new evidence about the prehistoric megafauna that once roamed the continent.