Ancient DNA shakes up the elephant family tree

Straight-tusked elephants were more closely related to African, not Asian, species

illustration of a straight-tusked elephant

ELEPHANT ANCESTRY  The first DNA analysis of straight-tusked elephants (illustrated) finds they are most closely related to modern African forest elephants, suggesting the extinct animals have been lumped in with the wrong elephant lineage for decades.  

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Fossil DNA may be rewriting the history of elephant evolution.