Earthwatch volunteers working the Mammoth Site at Hot Springs, S.D., have unearthed another apparently intact mammoth skull.

“On Saturday, July, 25, 2009, a new skull began to appear in the floor of the excavation,” Mammoth Site announced yesterday in a press release. “Ruth Clemmer and Rebecca McCubbin, both repeat Earthwatch team members, exposed the nuchal crest (bone ridge at the back of the skull) and the upper left cranial bone, to the eye orbit, of a skull which appears to have one tusk still attached.”

The very first mammoth skull, nicknamed “Mighty Manfred,” was found back in 1975. Other mammoth skulls have been named as well. One is “Beauty,” and the other is – my personal favorite – “Napoleon Bone-Apart.”

So far, no nicknames have been announced for the new find. I asked around the office, and we came up with a few suggestions.

Mammoths are close relatives of the modern elephant, so they could name it “Dumbone.”

Maybe they could borrow a line from Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs, and name it “Wooly Bully, Wooly Bully, Wooly Bully.”

If they wanted to go literary, they could name it “David Mammoth.” Or create a little “X-Files” mystery and call it “Special Agent Dana Skully.” A nice musical name would be “Mama Mammoth”  (like Mama Mia).

Or in honor of South Dakota’s role in old cowboy movies, they could put a stubby cigar in its mouth and name it “Paleo Rider.” I’m sure Clint Eastwood wouldn’t mind.

And since the mammoths who wandered down into the ancient sinkhole, only to be trapped and starved, weren’t too bright, maybe they should name it “Numbskull.” Or “Knucklehead,” which would appeal to fans of vintage Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

How about “Bonehead?” That would be both literal and figurative.

By the way, the Mammoth Site is a must-see Southern Hills attraction. Crews have uncovered the remains of 58 different mammoths as well as a number of specimens of other extinct species. Most have been left in the ground, creating an in-situ museum of natural history.