These debates about all the minutia are beginning to resemble the philisophical debates by the Church Fathers of the middle ages where they debated at length about how many Angeles could dance on the head of a pin.
They skip the inconvient matter that changes from one species to another is explained by a leap of faith. It must take place because mastidons became elephants. Everyone already knows that, so it doesn't have to be shown how, in a peer reviewed article with detailed studies.
Commonly held beliefs that cannot be proven are in fact commonly held faith. Using statements of faith are OK to explain what cannot be proven.
OK, and what did mammoths become?