This is a BEAUTIFUL, SUPER RARE Fossil Molar from a Gomphotherium, most likely Gomphotherium angustidens, from the Miocene of the Bugojno Basin of GraÄŤanica, Bosnia! The piece measures 4.27 Inches (10.85 cm) long, 2.51 Inches (6.37 cm) thick, 2.35 Inches (5.96 cm) tall, and weighs 15.6 ounces with a partial root and fantastic humps and enamel! It has a couple repaired breaks, but isn't restored!
Gomphotheres are close relatives of elephants that lived from 20 million to 11 thousand years ago. These bizarre animals looked mostly like elephants but with many more shapes of tusks and other strange facial features depending on the species. Early Gomphotheres were known to have four tusks, two upper and two lower as opposed to elephants and Mastodons which only have two upper. Later Gomphotheres also had only two upper tusks but the tusks actually spiraled outward! Other crazy features that showed up on some Gomphotheres are long shovel shaped lower jaws, and tusks that jutted out to the side and curved inward forming a "U" shape, and four large straight tusks. Gomphotherium was one of the most diverse genus of Gomphotheres. They were all browsers that fed on tough vegetation as evidenced by the complex shapes in their molars which help grind down food. Most species grew to a similar size as the modern Asian Elephant at over 8 feet tall at the shoulder and 4.5 tons, although the largest species could grow to over 10 feet tall and 6.5 tons!
Gomphotherium angustidens was one of the earlier species of Gomphotheres and lived throughout Europe during the Miocene. It was an average sized Gomphothere and is belived to be an ancestor to several later Gomphotheres and possibly even other elephants and relatives! It is the main species of Gomphothere found in the Bugojno Basin. However there is some evidence to suggest another species of Gomphotherium lived alongside it, which is why while this specimen can be attributed to Gomphotherium and is most likely Gomphotherium angustidens, It can't be definitively attributed to that species with absolute 100% certainty. So for maximum accuracy I've labeled it Gomphotherium sp. most likely  Gomphotherium angustidens.
Gomphothere fossils are substantially rarer that their counterparts Mammoths and Mastodons. A great opportunity to own a top quality piece of a rare and bizarre Ice Age mammal from a super rare and unique location!
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Species: Gomphotherium sp., most likely Gomphotherium angustidens
Size: 4.27 Inches (10.85 cm) long, 2.51 Inches (6.37 cm) thick, 2.35 Inches (5.96 cm) tall, and weighs 15.6 ounces
Found: Bugojno Basin of GraÄŤanica, Bosnia
Age: Early Miocene ~15.5 million years
Repair: a couple repaired breaks