An international team of researchers found that wrinkles on the trunks of African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) help them manipulate objects better. It turns out that differences in the number and distribution of wrinkles are related to the behavior and living environments of these animals.

The elephant’s trunk is an incredibly complex and multifunctional organ consisting of more than 40,000 muscles. With its help, these animals breathe, eat, drink, make sounds, interact with each other and manipulate objects. The trunk also plays an important role in olfactory and tactile sensitivity.

The results of the research were published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, showed that wrinkles on the trunk help elephants stretch and compress this useful organ. Scientists who studied the structure of the trunk skin of newborn baby elephants with the help of microcomputed tomography and microscopy discovered that the thickness of the epidermis does not change along the entire length of the trunk, but the dermis is compressed. Depressions in wrinkles provide a balance between the strength and elasticity of the skin.

The authors of the new scientific study noted that during the period of intrauterine development, the number of wrinkles on the trunk doubles every 20 days. In the future, the process slows down, but new wrinkles appear faster in Asian elephants than in African elephants. This shows the effect of genetic and behavioral factors on wrinkle formation.

The researchers also found that Asian elephants have many more large wrinkles on the back of their trunks (126 on average) than African elephants (about 83). Additionally, in both species, the density of wrinkles increases as one approaches the tip of the organ, making it more flexible and allowing complex manipulations with objects.

Asian elephants grasp and hold objects effectively by using their trunks as arms. Due to this habit, a high density of wrinkles is observed in the “capture” zone on the body of representatives of this species. African elephants, on the other hand, mostly use two finger-like protrusions at the end of their trunks to grasp objects.

Interestingly, the number of wrinkles on the left and right sides of the trunk depends on the preferences of a particular animal: elephants themselves decide which side of the organ to use when manipulating objects. If the mammal bends the trunk more often, for example to the left, more wrinkles form on the left side of the organ (and vice versa).

Thus, the authors of the new study discovered a complex relationship between the anatomy, behavior and environment of elephants and proved that wrinkles on the trunk are not just a feature of appearance, but an important element in the daily life of these majestic animals.