Morphometry of Elephant Tusks

Abstract

Measurements of specific gravity did not reveal differences in density of tusks from young and old elephants from widely separated geographic areas. When shape alone is used to classify tusks as to sex of the animal, a high correlation was found with depth of pulp cavity and distribution of tusk length. Tusks of males are larger and more conical in profile. Pulp cavity usually extends beyond the lip line in tusks of males and does not reach the lip line in most females. Depth of pulp cavity decreases with tusk size (age) in both sexes but the process sets in much earlier in females, possibly as early as puberty. Diameter of tusk increases concomittantly with lengthening of the alveolus in both sexes but slows as alveolus depth ceases to increase, since this process sets in much earlier in females it accounts for slender tusks characteristic of this sex. Tusk weights from Botswana are usually underestimated as elephants in this population have tusks which are deeper rooted and larger in circumference than those of other regions studied.