TRILOPHODON
Rewriting
History STORY & PHOTOS BY ECHO DAY
All Jim Leyden wanted was a swimming pool, but he ended up with the world in his backyard. This summer, while digging a drain line, an unusual discovery was made by subcontractors. Leyden was at work when he received the phone call. “My wife (Deanne) thought they were kidding her,â€? said Leyden, a sailor stationed at NSA Millington. “They were taking pictures ‌ she was surprised to see this huge tooth.â€? The large molar – and the jaw it was once attached to – is believed to belong to a pre-historic mammal called a trilophodon and
its discovery by pool contractors created a worldwide media buzz. Scientists believe trilophodons, a close relative to mastadons and predecessor to the modern elephant, lived in North America approximately 10 million years ago. The species is believed to have migrated to Asia, Europe and Africa after a drop in sea level during the Tortonian epoch. A swamp-feeding animal, the trilophodon had a long, pointed chin, short trunk and four tusks – two short tusks on the bottom and two larger tusks from the skull that curved downwards and were covered in enamel. Memphis Pink Palace Conservator Roy Young believes
Deanne and Jim Leyden are pictured with the trilophodon fossil found in their backyard in late June 2010. The discovery of the fossil created a worldwide media buzz and could rewrite history.
(Continued on page 8)
Come spend the day with us
One Stop Pampering
Hair ~ Nail ~ Massage
Eufora products exclusively at at 1984 Rosemark Rd, Suite B Atoka, TN 38004
901.837.1990
)PNF d (BSEFO d $VTUPN 'SBNJOH 0O 5IF 4RVBSF d $PWJOHUPO 5/