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. 2015 May 13;10(5):e0124980. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124980

Fig 2. Demonstrates age estimation in the African elephant using the Age Reference Line.

Fig 2

A straight line is drawn from Point A at the base of the mandibular foramen to Point B at the most distal point of molar occlusal wear. A line is drawn or vizualised along the ridge of the medial mandible (Line C). The two lines intersect at the red dot, Point D, which has been termed the Age Reference Point (ARP). A measurement of 10 cm is made from this point passing centrally through the distal molar. In this example 10 cm is marked as the distance from ARP (Point D) to the yellow line at E. This yellow line at E is termed the Age Reference Line (ARL). In this example the ARL falls on the 7th lamella (L) of the 4th molar. By reference to this ARL in Table 1 the elephant’s age can be estimated as 11.5 years. The green arrow at the mesial end of the mandible marks the mesial end of the dental alveolus, named the ‘crest’.