Project 923: Olivier Lambert, C. de Muizon, G. Bianucci. 2013. The most basal beaked whale Ninoziphius platyrostris Muizon, 1983: clues on the evolutionary history of the family Ziphiidae (Cetacea: Odontoceti). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 167 (4):569-598.
Specimen: † Ninoziphius (MNHN/SAS:941)
View: lateral

Abstract

Ninoziphius platyrostris, from the late Neogene of Peru, is one of the best-known fossil beaked whales (Odontoceti: Ziphiidae), with a holotype including the skull with ear bones, mandibles, teeth, and postcranial elements. Furthermore, based on several characters, including a complete functional upper and lower dentition, it is usually considered as one of the most archaic ziphiids. However, the poorly preserved dorsal portion of the holotype skull has led to unresolved phylogenetic relationships. With the addition of two newly prepared skulls from the same Peruvian locality we redescribed N. platyrostris. In the light of recent ziphiid discoveries, an emended diagnosis of the species is proposed here. In our cladistic analysis Ninoziphius is the most basal stem ziphiid. Newly observed or reassessed morphological traits allow functional and ecological considerations. The morphology of the oral apparatus suggests that Ninoziphius was less specialized for suction feeding than most extant ziphiids. Tooth wear in the holotype may indicate benthic feeding. Although the vertebral column of Ninoziphius corresponds to less developed locomotor abilities for deep dives, its cranial morphology does not provide definitive arguments for an echolocation system less efficient than in deep diving extant ziphiids. Finally, the phylogenetic tree produced was used to detail the evolutionary history of several major ziphiid features (dental reduction, development of mandibular tusks, and increased body size).


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Project DOI: 10.7934/P923, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P923
This project containsMatrices
  • 2 Media
  • 1 Matrix
  • 1 Document
  • 28 Taxa
  • 1 Specimen
  • 46 Characters
Total size of project's media files: 1.35M

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Total scored cells: 0
Total media associated with cells: 0
Total labels associated with cell media: 0
Characters
Total characters: 46
Total characters with associated media: 0
Total characters with media with labels: 0
Total character states: 0
Total character states with associated media: 0
Total character states with media with labels:0
Total unordered/ordered characters:46/0
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MorphoBank Project 923

    Authors' Institutions

    • Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris (Natural History Museum, Paris)

    • Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences

    • University of Pisa



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    Maureen Admin
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    Olivier Lambert
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    Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M2037' (28 Taxa)

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    [1] † Squalodon
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [2] † Waipatia
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [3] † Eurhinodelphis
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [4] † Schizodelphis
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [5] † Ziphiodelphis
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [6] † Squaloziphius
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [7] † Xhosacetus
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [8] † Pterocetus
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [9] Indopacetus
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [10] † Africanacetus
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [11] † Ihlengesi
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [12] Mesoplodon
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [13] Hyperoodon
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
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    [14] Ziphius
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [15] † Izikoziphius
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [16] † Choneziphius
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [17] † Tusciziphius
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [18] † Globicetus
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [19] † Imocetus
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [20] † Microberardius
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [21] Berardius
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
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    [22] † Archaeoziphius
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [23] † Nazcacetus
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [24] Tasmacetus
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [25] † Beneziphius
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
    460000003
    [26] † Ziphirostrum
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
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    [27] † Messapicetus
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
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    [28] † Ninoziphius
    Last Modified in 12/05/13
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    type number of views Individual items viewed (where applicable)
    Total project views44780
    Project overview3849
    Media views7793Media search (5919 views); M283632 (946 views); M283633 (928 views);
    Matrix views3077Matrix landing page (2663 views); Lambert et al 2013 (414 views);
    Taxon list20289
    Specimen list3232
    Views for media list3027
    Documents list2181
    Bibliography1332




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    type number of downloads Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
    Total downloads from project375
    Matrix downloads32Lambert et al 2013 (32 downloads);
    Project downloads342
    Document downloads1Copyright Permission (1 download);