In Depth
Titanocetus is a genus of baleen whale that lived in waters around Europe during the Miocene. As a member of the Cetotheriidae whales, Titanocetus would have been related to genera such as Cetotherium. There is a popular misconception that the name Titanocetus means ‘Titan whale’ in reference to a large size, and indeed this is often the case (i.e. Titanosaurus, Titanoceratops, Titanoboa, etc). The titan part of Titanocetus however is actually a reference to Monte Titano (Mount Titan), which is a mountain peak in San Marino near where the holotype fossils of Titanocetus were first found.
Predatory threats to Titanocetus likely included predatory toothed whales as well as colossal mega-toothed sharks such as the infamous C. megalodon.
Further Reading
- Balenottera miocenica della Repubblica di San Marino. - Atti della Reale Accademia dei Lincei 5:233-235. - G. Capellini - 1900. - Balenottera miocenica del Monte Titano Repubblica di S. Marino. - Memorie della Regia Accademia delle Scienze all’Istituto di Bologna 5:237-260. - G. Capellini - 1901. - Titanocetus, a new baleen whale from the Middle Miocene of northern Italy (Mammalia, Cetacea, Mysticeti). - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 26(2):344-354. - M. Bisconti - 2006.
