PBDB Taxon

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Gomphotherium obscurum

Mammalia - Proboscidea - Mammutidae

Taxonomy

Mastodon obscurum was named by Leidy (1869).

It was recombined as Mammut obscurum by Hay (1902); it was recombined as Serridentinus obscurus by Osborn (1923); it was considered a nomen dubium by Tobien (1973); it was recombined as Gomphotherium obscurum by Madden and Storer (1985).

Sister species lacking formal opinion data

G. subtapiroideum

Synonyms

Gomphotherium calvertensis was named by Gazin and Collins (1950). Its type specimen is USNM 13764 and is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Governor Run, north of, Zone 13, which is in a Langhian estuary/bay claystone in the Calvert Formation of Maryland.

It was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium productum by Tobien (1973); it was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium obscurum by Madden and Storer (1985).
Gomphotherium cimarronis was named by Hay (1925) [named as a subspecies of Tetrabelodon serridens by Cope 1892; raised to species level].

It was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium productum by Tobien (1973); it was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium obscurum by Madden and Storer (1985).
Gomphotherium cingulatum was named by Downs (1951). Its type locality is Werner Homestead, which is in a Miocene/Miocene fluvial sandstone in Oregon.

It was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium productum by Tobien (1973); it was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium obscurum by Madden and Storer (1985).
Serridentinus fricki was named by Peterson (1928). Its type locality is Douglas Mountain, which is in a Miocene terrestrial horizon in the Browns Park Formation of Colorado.

It was recombined as Trilophodon fricki by Osborn (1933); it was recombined as Gomphotherium fricki by Downs (1952); it was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium productum by Tobien (1973); it was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium obscurum by Madden and Storer (1985).
Serridentinus progressus was named by Osborn (1923).

It was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium productum by Tobien (1973); it was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium obscurum by Madden and Storer (1985).
Trilophodon giganteus was named by Osborn (1921) [possibly not original combination; used later by Cook 1922, Osborn 1936]. Its type locality is Trilophodon giganteus Site, which is in a Clarendonian terrestrial horizon in the Ash Hollow Formation of South Dakota.

It was recombined as Gomphotherium giganteum by Tobien (1972); it was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium productum by Tobien (1973); it was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium obscurum by Madden and Storer (1985).
Trilophodon riograndensis was named by Frick (1933) [type of subgenus Tatabelodon].

It was recombined as Gomphotherium riograndense by Tobien (1972); it was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium productum by Tobien (1973); it was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium obscurum by Madden and Storer (1985).
Trilophodon simplicidens was named by Osborn (1923).

It was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium productum by Tobien (1973); it was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium obscurum by Madden and Storer (1985).
Trilophodon simpsoni was named by Stirton (1939). Its type locality is UCMP V-3607, Las Trampas Creek, which is in a Clarendonian terrestrial siliciclastic in the Orinda Formation of California.

It was recombined as Gomphotherium simpsoni by Savage (1955) and Tobien (1972); it was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium productum by Tobien (1973); it was synonymized subjectively with Gomphotherium obscurum by Madden and Storer (1985).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1869	Mastodon obscurum Leidy
1873	Mastodon obscurus Leidy p. 231
1875	Mastodon obscurum Cope p. 51
1902	Mammut obscurum Hay p. 711
1921	Trilophodon giganteus Osborn
1923	Serridentinus obscurus Osborn
1923	Serridentinus progressus Osborn
1923	Trilophodon simplicidens Osborn
1925	Gomphotherium cimarronis Hay
1928	Serridentinus fricki Peterson
1933	Trilophodon riograndensis Frick
1933	Trilophodon fricki Osborn
1939	Trilophodon simpsoni Stirton
1950	Gomphotherium calvertensis Gazin and Collins pp. 7-10 figs. Fig. 1-3
1951	Gomphotherium cingulatum Downs
1952	Gomphotherium fricki Downs
1955	Gomphotherium simpsoni Savage
1972	Gomphotherium giganteum Tobien
1972	Gomphotherium riograndense Tobien
1972	Gomphotherium simpsoni Tobien
1985	Gomphotherium obscurum Madden and Storer

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Osteichthyes	()
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota
subclass	Synapsida

Rank	Name	Author
—	Therapsida	()
infraorder	Cynodontia	()
—	Mammaliamorpha
—	Mammaliaformes
class	Mammalia
—	Cladotheria
—	Zatheria
subclass	Tribosphenida	()
subclass	Theria
—	Eutheria	()
—	Placentalia
—	Afrotheria	Stanhope et al. 1998
—	Tethytheria
order	Proboscidea	()
—	Elephantimorpha	Tassy and Shoshani 1997
family	Mammutidae	Hay 1922
genus	Gomphotherium	Blumenbach 1799
species	obscurum	(Leidy 1869)

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

†Gomphotherium obscurum Leidy 1869

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Invalid names: Gomphotherium calvertensis Gazin and Collins 1950 [synonym], Gomphotherium cimarronis Hay 1925 [synonym], Gomphotherium cingulatum Downs 1951 [synonym], Serridentinus fricki Peterson 1928 [synonym], Serridentinus progressus Osborn 1923 [synonym], Trilophodon giganteus Osborn 1921 [synonym], Trilophodon riograndensis Frick 1933 [synonym], Trilophodon simplicidens Osborn 1923 [synonym], Trilophodon simpsoni Stirton 1939 [synonym]

Diagnosis

No diagnoses are available

Measurements

No measurements are available

Composition:

phosphaticsubp

Environment:

terrestrialsubc

Locomotion:

actively mobilec

Life habit:

ground dwellingg

Diet:

browserg

Reproduction:

viviparoussubc

Created:

2005-08-31 15:16:05

Modified:

2009-01-04 12:24:42

Source: g = genus, subc = subclass, c = class, subp = subphylum

References: Lambert and Shoshani 1998, Lillegraven 1979, Ji et al. 2002, Hendy et al. 2009, Carroll 1988

Age range: base of the Langhian to the top of the Clarendonian or 15.97000 to 9.40000 Ma

Collections (24 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Miocene	23.03 - 5.333	USA (Nevada)	Gomphotherium simpsoni (19102)
Miocene	23.03 - 5.333	USA (California)	Gomphotherium productum (19608)
Miocene	23.03 - 5.333	USA (Colorado)	Serridentinus fricki (18874)
Miocene	23.03 - 5.333	USA (Texas)	Gomphotherium productus (18375)
Burdigalian - Langhian	20.44 - 13.82	USA (Maryland)	Gomphotherium calvertensis (18518)
Barstovian	16.3 - 12.5	USA (New Mexico)	Gomphotherium productum (19287)
Barstovian	16.3 - 12.5	USA (Texas)	Gomphotherium productum (18618) Gomphotherium productus (35591) Mastodontidae indet. (18619)
Barstovian	16.3 - 12.5	USA (Maryland)	Gomphotherium calvertensis (18519)
Barstovian - Early/Lower Clarendonian	16.3 - 9.4	USA (New Mexico)	Gomphotherium productum (19286)
Langhian	15.97 - 13.82	USA (Maryland)	Gomphotherium calvertensis (45502)
Middle Miocene - Late/Upper Miocene	15.97 - 5.333	USA (Oregon)	Gomphotherium cingulatum (19115)
Serravallian	13.82 - 11.62	USA (Virginia)	Gomphotherium calvertensis (126605)
Clarendonian	12.5 - 9.4	USA (Texas)	Gomphotherium productum (18703) Gomphotherium productus (18074)
Clarendonian	12.5 - 9.4	USA (Nevada)	Gomphotherium productum (19035)
Clarendonian	12.5 - 9.4	USA (California)	Gomphotherium simpsoni (19185) Trilophodon simplicidens (19145) Trilophodon simpsoni (19418)
Clarendonian	12.5 - 9.4	USA (South Dakota)	Trilophodon giganteus (18426)
Tortonian	11.62 - 7.246	USA (Florida)	Gomphotherium calvertense (18509)
Hemphillian	10.3 - 4.9	USA (Oklahoma)	Gomphotherium productus (18034)
Hemphillian	10.3 - 4.9	Mexico (Hidalgo)	Gomphotherium serridens (18746)