A fossilised elephant’s tooth found in the Amazon jungle proved the presence of the species in South America 45,000 years ago.
Brazilian paleontologist, Mario Cozzuol, said: ‘Only elephants and capybaras (large rodents) have teeth with this kind of laminate structure, but those of capybaras are no longer than five centimeters (two inches),’ while the fossil measured 12 centimeters.
Previous evidence showed that elephants had reached Costa Rica, in Central America, but no further south, said the expert from the Federal University of Minas Gerais.
The fossil was discovered at the start of the 1990s by a precious metals researcher, but a university student only noticed its laminate structure years later.