Zygophyseter
| Zygophyseter Temporal range: Late Miocene | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Superfamily: | Physeteroidea |
| Family: | incertae sedis |
| Genus: | †Zygophyseter |
| Species: | Z. varolai Bianucci & Landini, 2006 |
Zygophyseter varolai is an extinct cetacean, similar to the sperm whale. The common name of "killer sperm whale" refers both to its relation to modern day sperm whales, and to its similarity in size to and its "probable similar feeding adaptation to the extant delphinid killer whale (Orcinus orca)".[1]
The description for Zygophyseter varolai, published in 2006, is the only species in the genus Zygophyseter. This was based on a fossil, an almost complete skeleton, which dates from the Tortonian Age of the Late Miocene Epoch of Southern Italy. It has a very long zygomatic process, probably for housing the spermaceti organ. Z. varolai has a large body size with large teeth present in both jaws making it capable of feeding on large prey.[1]
Like in all modern sperm whales, Zygophyseter had very large basin above the braincase which housed the spermaceti organ and melon. indicating that it was able to echolocate.[2]
Related species
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bianucci, Giovanni, & Landini, Walter. (2006). "Killer sperm whale: a new basal physeteroid (Mammalia, Cetacea) from the Late Miocene of Italy". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 148: 103–131. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2006.00228.x. Retrieved February 2015.
- ↑ Boessenecker, Robert. "Zygophyseter varolai". NYIT. Retrieved February 2015.