Kingdom Animalia Infraorder Cetacea Phylum Chordata | Class Mammalia Family †Eomysticetidae Order Even-toed ungulate | |
Genus Matapanui
Boessenecker and Fordyce, 2016 Similar Eomysticetus, Ferecetotherium, Waipatia, Acrophyseter | ||
Matapanui is a genus of eomysticetid baleen whale from the Late Oligocene (early Chattian) Kokoamu Greensand of New Zealand.
Contents
Taxonomy
Matapanui was originally named Matapa, but that name was already in use for a genus of butterfly, necessitating the name change.
Paleobiology
Based on the enlarged temporal fossae and enlarged mandibular canal, Matapanui was probably incapable of lunge-feeding, although it remains unclear whether it could skim-feed or filter prey in the benthic zone. Waharoa shared its habitat with the odontocetes Awamokoa, Austrosqualodon, Otekaikea, and Waipatia, and the mysticetes Horopeta, Mauicetus, Tohoraata, Tokarahia, Waharoa, and Whakakai.
References
Matapanui Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA