An elephant's lower tusk believed to be around 13 million years old was discovered today in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province.
The tusk belonged to Protanancus Chinjiensis species of elephant and its family was called Gomphotheriidae around 13 million years ago, head professor Muhammad Akhtar of Department of Zoology, Punjab University (PU) here said.
A team of researchers from PU discovered the tusk from Chabbar Syeddan, Sohawa area, about 300 kms from here.
"This species belonged to ancestors of elephant and was found only in that area and named after the locality. The right and left heavily worn teeth, called molar 3, of the fossil are preserved," he said.
Akhtar further said the length of the mandibles was 700 mm both sides and the estimated length of both teeth, molar 3, was 171 mm.
Its lower tusk was shovel shaped which was naturally good for digging the earth and symphysis was also very long in the present fossil, he added.
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