A new species of Metopocetus (Cetacea, Mysticeti, Cetotheriidae) from the Late Miocene of the Netherlands

PeerJ
Felix Georg MarxStephen Louwye

Abstract

The family Cetotheriidae has played a major role in recent discussions of baleen whale phylogenetics. Within this group, the enigmatic, monotypic Metopocetus durinasus has been interpreted as transitional between herpetocetines and other members of the family, but so far has been restricted to a single, fragmentary cranium of uncertain provenance and age. Here, we expand the genus and shed new light on its phylogenetic affinities and functional morphology by describing Metopocetus hunteri sp. nov. from the Late Miocene of the Netherlands. Unlike the holotype of M. durinasus, the material described here is confidently dated and preserves both the tympanic bulla and additional details of the basicranium. M. hunteri closely resembles M. durinasus, differing primarily in its somewhat less distally expanded compound posterior process of the tympanoperiotic. Both species are characterised by the development of an unusually large fossa on the ventral surface of the paroccipital process, which extends anteriorly on to the compound posterior process and completely floors the facial sulcus. In life, this enlarged fossa may have housed the posterior sinus and/or the articulation of the stylohyal. Like other cetotheriids, Metopocetus also ...Continue Reading

References

Nov 1, 1986·The American Journal of Anatomy·H A Oelschläger
Apr 27, 2011·BMC Evolutionary Biology·Jonathan H GeislerJohn Gatesy
Dec 21, 2012·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·R Ewan Fordyce, Felix G Marx
Jan 30, 2013·Die Naturwissenschaften·Felix G MarxR W Boessenecker
Mar 26, 2013·Die Naturwissenschaften·Robert W Boessenecker
Jun 13, 2015·Royal Society Open Science·Felix G Marx, R Ewan Fordyce

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