How Did Elephants' Trunks and Tusks Evolve Over Time?

[lorka150]

I am writing a short paper about elephants and how they evolved. I've timelines, and so forth, but am a little confused about some of the information I need to include. I have done research and have written most of it - but am drawing a blank on the remainder.

I need to speak about how the trunk / tusks changed over time. I do have some things, but I am wondering if anyone knows anything I might be missing - I just have the basics of enlargement, and how they grew.

I also need to discuss what mechanisms and modes of speciation may have allowed for the changes that occurred over time. This part is really stumping me. Any ideas would be great. Websites probably won't help, as I've searched this to death.

Thank you so much.

 

[arildno]

Rudyard Kipling has already told us how the elephant trunk evolved:
It was an over-curious elephant kid that put his nose too close to a crocodile lying in the dirty Limpopo river. It bit, the elephant's nose grew during the subsequent struggle. That's it really, you can check out the story for yourself.

Jokes aside, interesting topic!
Hope someone may be able to actually help you out.

 

[Bystander]

http://www.crystalinks.com/woollymammoth.html

Two different families evolved the same general body form? Work on that.