trunk

zoology

Learn about this topic in these articles:

In elephant: The trunk (proboscis)
The trunk, or proboscis, of the elephant is one of the most versatile organs to have evolved among mammals. This structure is unique to members of the order Proboscidea, which includes the extinct mastodons and mammoths. Anatomically, the trunk is a combination of…
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In proboscidean
Because the trunk is made of soft tissue that does not fossilize, paleontological evidence for it comes from knowledge of the elephant’s cranium, which contains an opening (external naris) low on the forehead where the trunk begins. Generally in mammals the external naris is situated near the…
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