Semirostrum
| Semirostrum Temporal range: Pliocene | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Skull (right) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Cetacea |
| Suborder: | Odontoceti |
| Family: | Phocoenidae |
| Genus: | Semirostrum Racicot et al., 2014 |
| Binomial name | |
| Semirostrum ceruttii Racicot et al., 2014 | |
Semirostrum is a genus of extinct cetacean belonging to the family Phocoenidae, and lived between 5 and 1.5 million years ago (Ma), during the Pliocene epoch. The species is highly distinctive due to the extremely long symphysis on the lower jaw, reaching lengths of 85 centimeters (33.46 inches), while that of a modern porpoise are 1–2 centimeters (0.39–0.79 inches) long. The main hypothesis regarding its use is that it probed along the sediment in the murky estuaries and shores of what is now California in search of food, which would easily be scooped up the symphysis and into the jaws. The etymology of the name means "half beak", referring to the upper jaw being half the length of the lower. The species name is S. ceruttii.[1]
References
- ↑ Rachel A. Racicot, Thomas A. Deméré, Brian L. Beatty & Robert W. Boessenecker (2014). "Unique Feeding Morphology in a New Prognathous Extinct Porpoise from the Pliocene of California". Current Biology. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2014.02.031.
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