Woolly mammoth molar

[jacobwlo]

Recepty I've bought a woolly mammoth molar, but I'd like to know some more about it. Like tooth positioning (my guess maxillary M3?) and what would be the age of this mammoth?

 

Measurements 14cmx13cmx6cm

Found in Poland.

 

Thanks for your help!

[Ludwigia]

Sorry I can't say anything about the position, but in order to determine the age you would need to find out the exact stratigraphy.

[jacobwlo]

2 minutes ago, Ludwigia said:

Sorry I can't say anything about the position, but in order to determine the age you would need to find out the exact stratigraphy.

I meant age of the mammoth in the moment of its death. Not age of the fossil.

[FossilDAWG]

I'm no mammoth expert, so take this for what it is worth.  As the molars wear they are replaced from behind, up to (in modern African and Asian elephants) a maximum of 6 in each quadrant of the mouth.  There are never more than two teeth in each quadrant at a time, an older worn down tooth in front and a fresh tooth coming in behind it.  Eventually the worn tooth will drop out, the replacement tooth will now be the functional molar in front, and a new replacement will develop in back.  An unworn tooth could just be the last replacement in an old animal, and a very worn tooth could be one of the early teeth from a younger animal.  So in fact you cannot use isolated teeth to estimate the age of the animal.  There are changes in the shape of the mandible with age, so if you had an intact mandible (which you do not) you might be able to do something with that.

 

Don