Miophyseter Temporal range: lowerMiocene (Burdigalian) | |
---|---|
Scientific classification![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Infraorder: | Cetacea |
Genus: | †Miophyseter Kimura & Hasegawa,2022 |
Species: | †M. chitaensis |
Binomial name | |
†Miophyseter chitaensis Kimura & Hasegawa, 2022 |
Miophyseter is anextinctgenus ofsperm whale in the superfamilyPhyseteroidea. It includes only one species,M. chitaensis, that was described in 2022 from the lowerMiocene (Burdigalian) ofToyohama Formation,Chita District,Aichi Prefecture, Japan. This species is known from the well-preservedcranium with detached teeth andear bones (periotic,tympanic bulla, andmalleus).Miophyseter is part of the Physeteroideastem group, but more closely related to thecrown group than to themacroraptorial sperm whales known from middle and late Miocene.Miophyster may have had an adaptation to deep diving and / or developedpterygoid muscles for active biting. The researchers made this conclusion judging by the presence of a deep and large notch on the ventral surface of thepalatine bone andpterygoid.[1]