Final answer:
The scientific name for mastodon is Mammut americanum. They were part of the Pleistocene epoch ice age megafauna, distinct from mammoths which belonged to the genus Mammuthus.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scientific name for mastodon is Mammut americanum. Mastodons were large, elephant-like mammals that are now extinct. They were part of the diverse megafauna of the Pleistocene epoch, which experienced considerable changes in climate due to the growth and retreat of continental ice sheets, a period also known for the presence of mammoths and our own species, Homo sapiens. Unlike mammoths, which belonged to the genus Mammuthus, mastodons were part of a separate genus. Mastodons had distinct physical characteristics and their remains have been extensively studied to understand more about ice age mammals and their environments.