Morawanocetus

Morawanocetus is a genus of extinct primitive baleen whale from the family Aetiocetidae that existed during the Chattian stage of the Oligocene epoch.[1]

Morawanocetus
Temporal range: Chattian
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: †Aetiocetidae
Genus: †Morawanocetus
Barnes et al. 1995
Species

Its fossils have been found in the North Pacific.[2]

Morawanocetus was named by Barnes et al. in 1995, who described the species, M. yabukii. Three new species, dating from 17 to 19 million years ago, were unearthed between 2000 and 2005 in a road-widening project in California.[3] These three new specimens of Morawanocetus, a genus thought to have gone extinct some five million years earlier, were discovered next to a fourth specimen, still under preparation, which clearly has archaeocete dentition.[4][5]

Morawanocetus was divergent, with wide crania, elaborate cheek, tooth crowns, and short necks.[2] The first fossils of Morawanocetus were found in the Chattian-aged Morawan Formation of Upper Oligocene Hokkaido. The more recent findings are the first Morawanocetus fossils found in California, a genus more commonly known to Japan.[3]

Morawanocetus is a sister taxa to: Aetiocetus, Ashorocetus, Chonecetus, and Willungacetus.

References

Notes
  1. "Morawanocetus". Fossilworks. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  2. "The Family Aetiocetidae as a Model For Evolution of Stem Mysticeti" (PDF). Lawrence Barnes, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, and James Goedert, Univ. of Washington, Wauna, WA. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2010. Retrieved 2008-07-03.
  3. Gramling, C. (2013-02-17). "New whale species unearthed in California highway dig". AAAS. Archived from the original on 2013-02-19. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
  4. "Ancient Whale Fossils Recorded in Orange County". CSUF. 18 February 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  5. CSUF: Discovery of New Whale Species on YouTube. CSUF. Retrieved 11 January 2014.

Sources
  • Barnes, L. G.; Kimura, M.; Furusawa, H.; Sawamura, H. (1995). "Classification and distribution of Oligocene Aetiocetidae (Mammalia; Cetacea; Mysticeti) from western North America and Japan". The Island Arc. 3 (4): 392–431. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1738.1994.tb00122.x. Lay summary (December 2013).CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)


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