求翻译the two modern elephant species maintain the exclusive st

求翻译the two modern elephant species maintain the exclusive status of being the largest land mammals on the planet. In the past, however, they had to share this distinction.The closest prehistoric relatives were the mammoths, which lived during the period between approximately 4,000,000 and 5,000 years ago, and most of these species were as large as, if not larger than, the elephants that survive today.
问第二次了,发现第一次打漏后面一句比较不懂的,再问一次
可以解释一下最后一句怎么翻吗

这的句子最后一句的难点在于if not larger than这个插入语扰乱了楼猪的理解.英文中,但凡是科普类或者比较正式的文章,都会运用到大量的插入语,还有大量的非限制性定语从句,这往往都是大家最头痛的原因.（等到时候鬼佬学中文时,我们多用点文言文,搞死他们）
事实上, In the past, however, they had to share this distinction. 也是把however插入了原本完整的句子中.
第一句：
the two modern elephant species maintain the exclusive status of being the largest land mammals on the planet.这句中,很赞同小幽童鞋把maintain理解为“保持”,很赞的.但分析了这段文章,认为这两种大象在古代也是处于这种地位,所以,我觉得可能把maintain理解为“延续”更贴切点.“这两种现代大象延续着地球上最大的哺乳动物这一独一无二的地位.”
第二句：
In the past, however, they had to share this distinction.这句话翻译起来有点绕口.share 是分享的意思,但是,这个词在大多数时候都不做“分享”理解,而是做“共用着”"共同拥有"理解,而distinction是区别的意思.难道要翻译成“他们不得不分享这种区别?”这样太生硬,不了解前文说来些什么,哪些区别.估计把这句翻译成这样“然后,在过去,他们与别的物种的不同之处是一样”还是有点拗口.
第三句：
The closest prehistoric relatives were the mammoths, which lived during the period between approximately 4,000,000 and 5,000 years ago, and most of these species were as large as, if not larger than, the elephants that survive today.
which引导的非限制性定语从句是用来描述mammoths的, if not larger than是插入是,是用来补充说明的.我们暂时省略这两句,就成了The closest prehistoric relatives were the mammoths, and most of these species were as large as the elephants that survive today.
现在,这个句子就是很常见的并列式陈述句了.“这个史前最近的近亲,是长牙象,并且,这些长牙象中,绝大多数个头与现代存活在世上的大象一样大.
补充说明,句子中用WERE是因为是“过去”的长毛象与现代的大象相比,但是中文不需要强调时态的,所以翻译中没有表现出来.that survive today是主语从句,限定elephants的,不是什么时候,不是史前的,二十现代的大象.
好,补充刚才我们省略掉的句子上去,就完成了.1：什么时期的长毛象呢,是4,000,000 和 5,000年前这段时期的长毛象.2：if not larger than是“即使没比他大”.连在一起就是“这些长牙象中,个头就算不比现代大象大,绝大多数也与现代大象一样大.
备注：
most of these species中的species,我理解为指代长毛象,而不是指长毛象中还有很多种类,种类的大多数种类怎么怎么样.IF 的意思是假如,但是,好像即使更顺口一点.
眼睛痛了,不检查了,另外,楼猪新年快乐