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The African bush elephant (''Loxodonta africana'') is the larger of the two species of African elephant. Both it and the African forest elephant have usually been classified as a single species, known simply as the African elephant, but recent evidence has seen the forest elephant classified as a distinct species (although this status is not conclusively accepted due to a gradual reduction in elephant size between savanna and forest environments). Some authorities still consider the currently available evidence as insufficient for splitting African elephants into two species.〔IUCN African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG): Statement on the Taxonomy of extant Loxodonta (February, 2006)〕 == Description == The African bush elephant is the largest and heaviest land animal on earth, being up to tall at the shoulder (a male shot in 1974). On average, males are tall at the shoulder and in weight, while females are much smaller at tall and in weight.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.wildlifecampus.com/Help/PDF/Elephant.pdf )〕 The most characteristic features of African elephants are their very large ears, which they use to radiate excess heat,〔(【引用サイトリンク】 url=http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/africanelephants/ecology.html )〕 and their trunk, a nose and an extension of the upper lip with two opposing extensions, or "fingers" at the end of it (in contrast to the Asian elephant, which only has one). The trunk is used for communication and handling objects and food. African elephants also have bigger tusks, large modified incisors that grow about 7 inches a year throughout an elephant's life. They occur in both males and females and are used in fights and for marking, feeding, and digging.〔 File:African bush elephant skeleton.jpg|A female African bush elephant skeleton on display at the Museum of Osteology, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma File:African Bush Elephant Skull.jpg| A male African bush elephant skull on display at the Museum of Osteology, Oklahoma City File:Loxodonta africana - Skull of baby.JPG|Skull of a baby African bush elephant 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「African bush elephant」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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