STRUCTURAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF THE TUSKS OF THE WOOLLY MAMMOTH MAMMUTHUS PRIMIGENIUS: A REVIEW OF RESULTS AND RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES

The paper provides an overview of research on the morphological and structural differences between the tusks of the woolly mammoth Mammuthus primigenius (Blumenbach, 1799) and modern elephants, namely: the African one Loxodonta africana (Blumenbach, 1797) and the Asian (Indian) one Elephas maximus (Linnaeus, 1758). Differences in ivory between females and males of these proboscises are described. Features of the fossil mammoth bone in comparison with other ivory are shown. The results of our studies of the ivory structure of M. primigenius and L. africana are presented. The chemical composition of mammoth tusk dentin as a three-phase composite material is considered. The relationship between the structure of M. primigenius and L. africana tusks and their mechanical properties (Young’s modulus, bending strength, work of fracture, compression modulus, and Vickers hardness) in the transversal and longitudinal orientation is shown. In particular, the prospects of exploring the structure and morphology of M. primigenius ivory are noted