Proboscidean (Noun)
Meaning
Massive herbivorous mammals having tusks and a long trunk.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The proboscidean that roamed the ancient forests was a massive creature with a long trunk and tusks that could uproot trees.
- Elephants are the only living members of the proboscidean family, which once included mammoths and mastodons.
- The fossil record shows that proboscideans evolved from smaller, multi-toed forest dwellers into the large, single-toed animals we know today.
- Proboscideans are characterized by their distinctive trunks, which are actually modified noses that are highly sensitive and flexible.
- The discovery of a well-preserved proboscidean skeleton in the frozen tundra provided scientists with valuable insights into the evolution of these massive herbivores.