In Depth Nanokogia seems to have been much like modern day pygmy sperm whales of the Kogia genus. This is reflected in the genus name which basically means ‘Small Kogia’. One difference however is that Nanokogia seems to have lacked teeth in the upper jaw, which may be a reflection of a specific prey specialisation. … Read more
In Depth Though only based upon the description of a single skull, Waipatia has still been one of the more significant discoveries regarding our understanding of the early evolution of dolphins. This is because the skull of Waipatia represents one of the first good examples of actual bones and not just teeth. This has also … Read more
In Depth Like many other prehistoric whales of its type Brygmophyseter had teeth in both the upper and lower jaws. As a mid-sized whale, Brygmophyseter would have probably been a generalist hunter tackling a variety of different prey types including fish, squid, and probably other whales. Not much is known about the hunting behaviour, but … Read more
In Depth Though only known from a partial skull and jaws, Saghacetus is known to have been a dorudontine whale that was hunting in the waters of Egypt during the Eocene. Before being established as a distinct genus, fossils of Saghacetus had been described as species of Dorudon. The exact size of Saghacetus is uncertain, … Read more
In Depth A very primitive whale form, Remingtonocetus is noted as being smaller and significantly more gracile than most of its relative genera. This more generalised observation is combined with he fact that all four limbs of Remingtonocetus were still well enough adapted for walking on land while the tail seems to have served little … Read more
In Depth Horopeta is a genus of whale that lived in the waters around New Zealand during the Oligocene. Further Reading - The Earliest Gulp-Feeding Mysticete (Cetacea: Mysticeti) from the Oligocene of New Zealand. - Journal of Mammalian Evolution. - C.-H. Tsai & R. E. Fordyce - 2015.
In Depth Zygophyseter was a raptorial sperm whale that is sometimes called the ‘killer sperm whale’. Discovered in southern Italy, Zygophyseter is confirmed to have been active in the Paratethys Sea which today is represented by the Mediterranean, Black, Caspian and Aral Seas. However back in the Miocene the sea levels were much higher which … Read more
In Depth Ocucajea is a genus of basilosaurid whale that lived in the waters around South America during the Eocene. Further Reading - New Middle Eocene Whales from the Pisco Basin of Peru. - Journal of Paleontology 85 (5): 955–69. - Mark D. Uhen, Nicholas D. Pyenson, Thomas J. Devries, Mario Urbina & Paul R. … Read more
In Depth Makaracetus is a genus of protocetid whale that lived in Pakistan during the Eocene. The most notable feature of Makaracetus is the strange shaped snout which dips down, and may be a sign that Makaracetus had a proboscis, alternatively known as a trunk, that may have been similar to a tapirs. This was … Read more
In Depth Platyosphys is a genus of basilosaurid whale known to have ranged across the Atlantic Ocean and throughout European and north African waters. Further Reading - A Review of the Archaeoceti. - Carnegie Institution of Washington 482:1-366 - R. Kellogg - 1936. - New fauna of archaeocete whales (Mammalia, Cetacea) from the Bartonian middle … Read more