MORPHOLOGY OF THE DECIDUOUS TUSK (TUSH) OF THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT (LOXODONTA-AFRICANA)

The tusk of the African elephant is preceded by a deciduous tooth gene rally known as the tush. Tushes from nine elephant fetuses and six cal ves younger than 1 year were exposed by dissection and described morph ologically. All tushes consisted of a crown, root and pulpal cavity, t he formation of which is completed soon after birth. They reached a ma ximum length of 5 cm, appeared not to erupt through the skin and were pushed aside and resorbed during enlargement of the distally located p rimordium of the tusk. Dental enamel, which covered the crown, could e asily be removed and consisted of rods with an interwoven arrangement; the dentine-enamel junction was flat. Cellular cementum extended for variable distances over the crown and the dentine was tubular in natur e. Although the tush apparently has no function, it provides the anlag e and orientation for the development of its permanent successor.