Bizarre fossil beaked whales (Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) fished from the Atlantic Ocean floor off the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

Forty partial fossil skulls belonging to beaked whales (Cetacea, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) were collected by trawling and long-line fishing on Neogene (probably Late Early to Middle Miocene) layers of the Atlantic floor off the coasts of Portugal and Spain (Asturias and Galicia). e systematic study of the most diagnostic Iberian specimens, those preserving the rostrum and the dorsal part of the cranium, led to the recognition of two new genera (Globicetus n. gen.

No deep diving: evidence of predation on epipelagic fish for a stem beaked whale from the Late Miocene of Peru

“…Interestingly, the contrasted fossil records of stem ziphiids (predominantly in platform deposits) and crown ziphiids (many of them in deep-sea deposits) [6,[8][9][10][11] indirectly support this hypothesis. In addition to palaeoecological signals coming from stomach contents and phylogenetic analyses, morphology is revealing too.…”

“…Messapicetus being considered in recent phylogenies as a stem ziphiid [6,10], the epipelagic to neritic habitat of this Miocene taxon possibly represents the ancestral condition for ziphiids, preceding the shift to a deep-water habitat (figure 4). Interestingly, the contrasted fossil records of stem ziphiids (predominantly in platform deposits) and crown ziphiids (many of them in deep-sea deposits) [6,[8][9][10][11] indirectly support this hypothesis.…”

“…[2,4,7]) indicate that it is more parsimonious to characterize the last common ancestor of all modern ziphiids as adapted to deep dives. Second, most stem ziphiids were found in platform deposits, contrasting with the discovery of many fossil crown ziphiid remains in deep-sea deposits [6,[8][9][10][11]. Finally, a few morphological characters provide clues about the feeding technique and habitat of extinct ziphiids [6].…”

‘Antlers inside’: are the skull structures of beaked whales (Cetacea: Ziphiidae) used for echoic imaging and visual display?

“…Abbreviations: mc, maxillary crest (structures made by spongy tissue are marked by italics ); mov, mesorostral ossification made by vomer; mt, mandibular ossification associated with the tusk; pp, premaxillary prominence; ps, premaxillary shelf; t, tusk; v, vertex. Photos of G lobicetus hiberus and T usciziphius atlanticus are by I smael M iján, courtesy of the author; from Bianucci et al ., (c) Publications Scientifiques, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris.…”

“…The phylogeny follows B ianucci et al . (); the phylogenetic tree is simplified; L agenorhynchus ( D elphinidae) is the outgroup. Abbreviations: Md, mandible; Me, mesethmoid; Mx, maxilla; Pmx, premaxilla; T, sexually dimorphic tusks; V, vomer.…”