Morphobank

Project 4517: M. Viglino, M. R. Buono, Y. Tanaka, J. I. Cuitiño, R. E. Fordyce. 2022. Unravelling the identity of the platanistoid Notocetus vanbenedeni Moreno, 1892 (Cetacea, Odontoceti) from the early Miocene of Patagonia (Argentina). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 20 (1):2082890.

Specimen: Lipotes vexillifer (unvouchered)
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Abstract

Platanistoidea remains one of the most evolutionarily intriguing lineages of toothed whales (Odontoceti). The clade comprises mostly extinct species from the late Oligocene–early Miocene onward and a single extant riverine genus (Platanista). There is an ongoing debate as to the membership of Platanistoidea and the causes of their near extinction. In Patagonia (Argentina), the most abundant platanistoid recorded in the lower Miocene Gaiman Formation is Notocetus vanbenedeni, first described by Moreno in 1892 based on two individuals. The goal of the present contribution is to conduct an updated anatomical, palaeobiological and phylogenetic analyses of Notocetus vanbenedeni and hence contribute to an understanding of the evolutionary history of the Platanistoidea. Our analyses, including at least 26 individuals (12 undescribed), show that Notocetus vanbenedeni is a valid platanistoid taxon, recovered as part of a new clade. Among its most outstanding features, this taxon has an elevated dorsal tubercular supraorbital crest formed mainly by the frontal, the precursor of the pneumatized crest of the extant Platanista. Notocetus vanbenedeni also shows initial stages of the plesiomorphic bony connection between the earbones and skull as in Platanista, although the functional implications for hearing remain elusive. The nasal sac system, pterygoid sinus system and morphology of the earbones suggest that this species was able to hear high-frequency sounds and echolocate underwater, similar to extant odontocetes. Thus, Notocetus vanbenedeni presents a mosaic of features that suggest an intermediate platanistoid morphotype. Anatomical differences and phylogenetic analyses suggest that Peruvian specimens could not be referred to this species. The feeding apparatus of Notocetus vanbenedeni makes it the only combination suction-feeder recorded in the early Miocene of Patagonia and among the smallest odontocetes. Finally, the abundant records of Notocetus vanbenedeni in an inner shelf environment with freshwater influence suggest a possible early preference for such protected habitats.

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Article DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2022.2082890

Project DOI: 10.7934/P4517, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P4517

This project contains	Matrices
6 Media 1 Matrix 99 Taxa 6 Specimens 285 Characters Total size of project's media files: 1.78M Download Project SDD File	Total scored cells: 18906 Total media associated with cells: 0 Total labels associated with cell media: 0
	Characters
	Total characters: 285 Total characters with associated media: 0 Total characters with media with labels: 0 Total character states: 729 Total character states with associated media: 0 Total character states with media with labels:0 Total unordered/ordered characters:285/0

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MorphoBank Project 4517

Creation Date:
09 January 2023
Publication Date:
10 January 2023
Project views: 5798
Matrix downloads: 3

Authors' Institutions

Osaka Museum of Natural History, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture

University of Otago

Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)

Instituto Patagónico de Geología y Paleontología, CCT CONICET-CENPAT

Members

MorphoBank Curator
Project Administrator

285

18906
(18521, 0, 385)

Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M29110' (99 Taxa)

taxon	unscored cells	scored cells	no cell support	NPA cells	"-" cells	cell images	labels on cell images	member access
[1] † Georgiacetus vogtlensis Last Modified in 01/10/23	134	139	139	0	12	0	0	1
[2] Zygorhiza kochii Last Modified in 01/10/23	67	210	207	0	11	0	0	1
[3] † Archaeodelphis patrius Last Modified in 01/10/23	164	111	111	0	10	0	0	1
[4] † Xenorophus sloanii Last Modified in 01/10/23	194	85	85	0	6	0	0	1
[5] † Agorophius pygmaeus Last Modified in 01/10/23	182	99	98	0	5	0	0	1
[6] † Patriocetus kazakhstanicus Last Modified in 01/10/23	164	117	116	0	5	0	0	1
[7] † Simocetus rayi Last Modified in 01/10/23	128	154	154	0	3	0	0	1
[8] † Xiphiacetus bossi Last Modified in 01/10/23	53	233	226	0	6	0	0	1
[9] † Orycterocetus crocodilinus Last Modified in 01/10/23	103	176	171	0	11	0	0	1
[10] Physeter catodon Last Modified in 01/10/23	13	265	261	0	11	0	0	1
[11] Kogia breviceps Last Modified in 01/10/23	11	256	254	0	20	0	0	1
[12] † Tasmacetus shepherdi Last Modified in 01/10/23	12	271	268	0	5	0	0	1
[13] Berardius bairdii Last Modified in 01/10/23	16	266	261	0	8	0	0	1
[14] Ziphius cavirostris Last Modified in 01/10/23	8	275	267	0	10	0	0	1
[15] Mesoplodon ginkgodens Last Modified in 01/10/23	28	249	248	0	9	0	0	1
[16] Lipotes vexillifer Last Modified in 01/10/23	6	277	277	0	2	0	0	1
[17] † Parapontoporia sternbergi Last Modified in 01/10/23	130	156	152	0	3	0	0	1
[18] Inia geoffrensis Last Modified in 01/10/23	5	283	270	0	10	0	0	1
[19] Pontoporia blainvillei Last Modified in 01/10/23	4	281	276	0	5	0	0	1
[20] † Pliopontos littoralis Last Modified in 01/10/23	110	174	170	0	5	0	0	1
[21] † Brachydelphis mazeasi Last Modified in 01/10/23	90	200	193	0	2	0	0	1
[22] † Kentriodon pernix Last Modified in 01/10/23	63	224	219	0	3	0	0	1
[23] † Atocetus iquensis Last Modified in 01/10/23	61	223	220	0	4	0	0	1
[24] † Hadrodelphis calvertense Last Modified in 01/10/23	122	158	158	0	5	0	0	1
[25] † Albireo whistleri Last Modified in 01/10/23	52	229	229	0	4	0	0	1
[26] † Denebola brachycephala Last Modified in 01/10/23	137	146	146	0	2	0	0	1
[27] Delphinapterus leucas Last Modified in 01/10/23	5	282	275	0	5	0	0	1
[28] Monodon monoceros Last Modified in 01/10/23	11	274	266	0	8	0	0	1
[29] † Odobenocetops peruvianus Last Modified in 01/10/23	107	159	159	0	19	0	0	1
[30] † Australithax intermedia Last Modified in 01/10/23	165	119	119	0	1	0	0	1
[31] † Lomacetus ginsburgi Last Modified in 01/10/23	173	111	111	0	1	0	0	1
[32] † Miophocaena nishinoi Last Modified in 01/10/23	199	86	86	0	0	0	0	1
[33] † Archaeophocaena teshioensis Last Modified in 01/10/23	228	55	55	0	2	0	0	1
[34] † Pterophocaena nishinoi Last Modified in 01/10/23	133	151	151	0	1	0	0	1
[35] † Haborophocoena minutus Last Modified in 01/10/23	175	110	109	0	1	0	0	1
[36] † Haborophocoena toyoshimai Last Modified in 01/10/23	110	174	174	0	1	0	0	1
[37] † Piscolithax boreios Last Modified in 01/10/23	134	149	149	0	2	0	0	1
[38] † Piscolithax longirostris Last Modified in 01/10/23	93	190	190	0	2	0	0	1
[39] † Piscolithax tedfordi Last Modified in 01/10/23	109	174	174	0	2	0	0	1
[40] † Salumiphocaena stocktoni Last Modified in 01/10/23	152	130	130	0	3	0	0	1
[41] † Septemtriocetus bosselaersi Last Modified in 01/10/23	195	85	85	0	5	0	0	1
[42] Phocoena sinus Last Modified in 01/10/23	20	265	262	0	3	0	0	1
[43] Phocoena spinipinnis Last Modified in 01/10/23	16	274	266	0	3	0	0	1
[44] Phocoena dioptrica Last Modified in 01/10/23	69	219	213	0	3	0	0	1
[45] Phocoena phocoena Last Modified in 01/10/23	6	285	275	0	4	0	0	1
[46] Phocoenoides dalli Last Modified in 01/10/23	18	278	265	0	2	0	0	1
[47] Neophocaena phocaenoides Last Modified in 01/10/23	11	279	270	0	4	0	0	1
[48] Lissodelphis borealis Last Modified in 01/10/23	25	265	258	0	2	0	0	1
[49] Cephalorhynchus hectori Last Modified in 01/10/23	14	270	268	0	3	0	0	1
[50] Lagenorhynchus acutus Last Modified in 01/10/23	31	252	251	0	3	0	0	1
[51] Orcaella brevirostris Last Modified in 01/10/23	33	251	248	0	4	0	0	1
[52] Orcinus orca Last Modified in 01/10/23	15	275	265	0	5	0	0	1
[53] Feresa attenuata Last Modified in 01/10/23	18	267	263	0	4	0	0	1
[54] Globicephala macrorhynchus Last Modified in 01/10/23	18	265	262	0	5	0	0	1
[55] Grampus griseus Last Modified in 01/10/23	22	264	259	0	4	0	0	1
[56] † Hemisyntrachelus cortesii Last Modified in 01/10/23	106	176	175	0	4	0	0	1
[57] Peponocephala electra Last Modified in 01/10/23	24	261	257	0	4	0	0	1
[58] Pseudorca crassidens Last Modified in 01/10/23	17	273	263	0	5	0	0	1
[59] Delphinus delphis Last Modified in 01/10/23	12	276	269	0	4	0	0	1
[60] † Lagenodelphis hosei Last Modified in 01/10/23	20	268	262	0	3	0	0	1
[61] Sousa chinensis Last Modified in 01/10/23	38	253	244	0	3	0	0	1
[62] Stenella attenuata Last Modified in 01/10/23	15	277	266	0	4	0	0	1
[63] Tursiops truncatus Last Modified in 01/10/23	1	296	280	0	4	0	0	1
[64] Sotalia fluviatilis Last Modified in 01/10/23	22	265	260	0	3	0	0	1
[65] Steno bredanensis Last Modified in 01/10/23	15	274	266	0	4	0	0	1
[66] † Eodelphinus kabatensis Last Modified in 01/10/23	157	129	128	0	0	0	0	1
[67] † Squaloziphius emlongi Last Modified in 01/10/23	156	125	124	0	5	0	0	1
[68] † Squalodon calvertensis Last Modified in 01/10/23	66	218	215	0	4	0	0	1
[69] Prosqualodon australis Last Modified in 01/10/23	186	98	98	0	1	0	0	1
[70] † Phoberodon arctirostris Last Modified in 01/10/23	137	148	146	0	2	0	0	1
[71] † Prosqualodon davidis Last Modified in 01/10/23	104	181	176	0	5	0	0	1
[72] † OU 21798 Last Modified in 01/10/23	82	211	203	0	0	0	0	1
[73] † Inticetus vertizi Last Modified in 01/10/23	145	145	140	0	0	0	0	1
[74] † Papahu taitapu Last Modified in 01/10/23	148	137	136	0	1	0	0	1
[75] † Waipatia hectori Last Modified in 01/10/23	238	46	45	0	2	0	0	1
[76] † Awamokoa tokarahi Last Modified in 01/10/23	208	79	77	0	0	0	0	1
[77] † Waipatia maerewhenua Last Modified in 01/10/23	80	202	201	0	4	0	0	1
[78] † Otekaikea marplesi Last Modified in 01/10/23	123	162	161	0	1	0	0	1
[79] † Otekaikea huata Last Modified in 01/10/23	117	168	167	0	1	0	0	1
[80] † ZMT-73 Last Modified in 01/10/23	241	44	44	0	0	0	0	1
[81] † Aondelphis talen Last Modified in 01/10/23	219	64	64	0	2	0	0	1
[82] † Notocetus vanbenedeni Last Modified in 01/10/23	58	225	223	0	4	0	0	1
[83] Squalodelphis fabianii Last Modified in 01/10/23	149	137	135	0	1	0	0	1
[84] † Zarhachis flagellator Last Modified in 01/10/23	72	213	208	0	5	0	0	1
[85] † Pomatodelphis inaequalis Last Modified in 01/10/23	113	166	166	0	6	0	0	1
[86] Platanista gangetica Last Modified in 01/10/23	16	268	261	0	8	0	0	1
[87] † Phocageneus venustus Last Modified in 01/10/23	250	36	35	0	0	0	0	1
[88] † OU 22670 Last Modified in 01/10/23	230	57	55	0	0	0	0	1
[89] † Arktocara yakataga Last Modified in 01/10/23	185	96	96	0	4	0	0	1
[90] † Dilophodelphis fordycei Last Modified in 01/10/23	164	121	121	0	0	0	0	1
[91] † Araeodelphis natator Last Modified in 01/10/23	205	81	80	0	0	0	0	1
[92] † Huaridelphis raimondii Last Modified in 01/10/23	118	168	166	0	1	0	0	1
[93] † Allodelphis pratti Last Modified in 01/10/23	150	132	132	0	3	0	0	1
[94] Ninjadelphis ujiharai Last Modified in 01/10/23	157	129	128	0	0	0	0	1
[95] † Zarhinocetus errabundus Last Modified in 01/10/23	113	170	170	0	2	0	0	1
[96] † Goedertius oregonensis Last Modified in 01/10/23	159	123	123	0	3	0	0	1
[97] † MUSM 1395/3896/3897/1484 Last Modified in 01/10/23	109	184	175	0	1	0	0	1
[98] † Medocinia tetragorhina Last Modified in 01/10/23	201	84	84	0	0	0	0	1
[99] † Macrosqualodelphis ukupachai Last Modified in 01/10/23	145	140	138	0	2	0	0	1

Project views

type	number of views	Individual items viewed (where applicable)
Total project views	5798
Project overview	324
Matrix views	212	Matrix landing page (196 views); matrix (16 views);
Media views	1273	Media search (601 views); M849325 (125 views); M849326 (112 views); M849327 (105 views); M849328 (111 views); M849329 (107 views); M849330 (112 views);
Documents list	140
Taxon list	2196
Specimen list	1115
Views for media list	384
Bibliography	154

Project downloads

type	number of downloads	Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
Total downloads from project	4
Matrix downloads	3	matrix (3 downloads);
Project downloads	1