Tiucetus Temporal range: Tortonian
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Holotype skull in lateral view | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Infraorder: | Cetacea |
Family: | Cetotheriidae |
Genus: | †Tiucetus Marx, Lambert & De Muizon 2017 |
Tiucetus is an extinct genus of cetotheriid baleen whale known from the Late Miocene Pisco Formation of Peru.
Description
[edit]Tiucetus is distinct from other cetotheriids in having a squamosal cleft; from eomysticetids in having comparatively short nasals, a more anteriorly projected supraoccipital and parietal, and a tympanic bulla that is rotated so that the inner posterior prominence faces dorsally.[1]
Classification
[edit]Tiucetus falls basally in Cetotheriidae, less derived than Joumocetus and Cephalotropis.
Palaeogeography
[edit]Other marine mammals found in the Pisco Formation include another cetotheriid, Piscobalaena, the odd dolphin Odobenocetops, the killer sperm whale Acrophyseter, the long-necked seal Acrophoca, and aquatic sloth Thalassocnus.
References
[edit]- ^ Marx, F., Lambert, O., de Muizon, C. 2017. A new Miocene baleen whale from Peru deciphers the dawn of cetotheriids. Royal Society Open Science. doi: 10.1098/rsos.170560