Aulophyseter
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{{short description|Genus of mammals}} |
{{short description|Genus of mammals}} |
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{{Automatic taxobox |
{{Automatic taxobox |
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| fossil_range = [[Miocene|Mid-Late Miocene]] {{fossil range|16| |
| fossil_range = [[Miocene|Mid-Late Miocene]] {{fossil range|16|15}} |
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| image = Aulophyseter morricei LACM.jpg |
| image = Aulophyseter morricei LACM.jpg |
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| image_caption = Skeleton of ''A. morricei'' at the [[Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County]] |
| image_caption = Skeleton of ''A. morricei'' at the [[Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County]] |
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}} |
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'''''Aulophyseter''''' is an extinct [[genus]] of [[sperm whale]]s from the subfamily [[Physeterinae]] that existed during the [[Miocene]] |
'''''Aulophyseter''''' is an extinct [[genus]] of [[sperm whale]]s from the subfamily [[Physeterinae]] that existed during the [[Miocene]]. |
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== History of discovery == |
== History of discovery == |
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** [[Temblor Formation]], [[California]] |
** [[Temblor Formation]], [[California]] |
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** [[St. Marys Formation]], [[Maryland]] |
** [[St. Marys Formation]], [[Maryland]] |
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== Taxonomy == |
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The genus was established by paleontologist Remington Kellogg in 1927, who described the type species ''Aulophyseter morricei'' based on a partial skull from the [[Miocene]] [[Temblor Formation]] in California, noting its morphological affinities to modern [[sperm whale]](''Physeter macrocephalus'') through features such as an enlarged cranial cavity suggestive of early spermaceti organ development and overall robust construction.[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=36673 ''Aulophyseter''] at [[Fossilworks]].org |
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== Description == |
== Description == |
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[[File:Aulophyseter BW.jpg|left|thumb|211x211px|Life restoration]] |
[[File:Aulophyseter BW.jpg|left|thumb|211x211px|Life restoration]] |
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''Aulophyseter'' is estimated to have been {{convert|6.4|m}} long,{{Cite journal |last1=Paolucci |first1=F. |last2=Buono |first2=M. R. |last3=Fernández |first3=M. S. |year=2025 |title=Awakening Patagonia's sleeping sperm whale: a new description of the Early Miocene ''Idiorophus patagonicus'' (Odontoceti, Physeteroidea) |journal=Papers in Palaeontology |volume=11 |issue=2 |at=e70007 |doi=10.1002/spp2.70007 |quote=This condition appeared convergently in other physeteroids, such as ''Aulophyseter'' (6.4 m), ''Zygophyseter'' (7 m), ''Brygmophyseter'' (c. 6 m) and probably ''Albicetus'' (5.9 m) during the Middle and Late Miocene}} and weighed approximately {{convert|1100|kg|lb}}.van Dongen PAM. 1998 [https://paul-van-dongen.nl/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/1998-brain-size-in-vertebrates.pdf Brain size in vertebrates]. In ''The central nervous system of vertebrates'' (eds Nieuwenhuys R, ten Donkelaar HJ, Nicholson C), pp. 2099–2134. Berlin, Germany: Springer. |
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https://journals.plos.org/plosone/articleid=10.1371/journal.pone.0135551 |
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== Paleobiology == |
== Paleobiology == |
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''Aulophyseter'''s small |
''Aulophyseter'''s small teeth lack enamel, which suggests that its feeding habits were more similar to those of modern sperm whales than to other early sperm whales. The diet of ''Aulophyseter'' was largely limited to cephalopods and fish.Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals by William F. Perrin, Bernd Wursig, and J. G.M. [[Hans Thewissen|Thewissen]]* |
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== See also == |
== See also == |
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