Orycterocetus

Name: Orycterocetus
Phonetic: O-rik-teh-ro-set-us.
Named By: Joseph Leidy‭ ‬-‭ ‬1853.
Synonyms: Gargantuodon.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Cetacea,‭ ‬Odontoceti,‭ ‬Physeteridae.
Species: O.‭ ‬quadratidens‭ (‬type‭)‬,‭ ‬O.‭ ‬cornutidens,‭ ‬O.‭ ‬crocodilinus.
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: Uncertain.
Known locations: USA.‭ ‬Europe.
Time period: Miocene.
Fossil representation: Several specimens,‭ ‬usually of teeth and jaw material.

       Orycterocetus was one of the many predatory whales that swam in the Miocene oceans with included Acrophyseter,‭ ‬Livyatan and Zygophyseter among others.‭ ‬Orycterocetus also has a connection with the whale Aulophyseter on the basis that some of the fossil material attributed to Aulophyseter bears similarities to fossil material from Orycterocetus.‭ ‬This has brought the suggestion that the Aulophyseter fossils in question may be synonymous with Orycterocetus.

Further reading
- [Observations on extinct Cetacea]. - Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences 6:377-378. - J. Leidy - 1853.
- Notice of remains of extinct vertebrated animals discovered by Professor E. Emmons. - Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 8:255-257. - J. Leidy - 1856.
- An addition to the vertebrate fauna of the Miocene period, with a synopsis of the extinct Cetacea of the United States. - Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 19(4):138-157. - E. D. Cope - 1867.

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