Scientists from the Center for Paleogenetics in Stockholm found that thick fur, small ears and impressive fat deposits appeared but were less pronounced in early woolly mammoths. Research published in the journal current biology.
Woolly mammoths have characteristic morphological features: thick fur, small ears, as well as outwardly invisible fat metabolism and cold-sensing features.
Researchers compared the genomes of 23 Siberian woolly mammoths (mammoth primigenius) with the genomes of 28 modern Asian elephants (Elefa maximus) and African elephants (loxodonta).
The scientists found that woolly mammoths developed dry earwax and reduced body odor. And the defining characteristics of the species were present more than 700 thousand years ago, when the woolly mammoth diverged from the steppe mammoth (Mammothus trogonterii). However, in the following years, these features evolved and became much more prominent.
The scientists also found some genes associated with metabolism and fat storage found in other arctic species such as reindeer and polar bears. This means that unrelated species have similar genetic adaptations to cold climates.