identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
550B87C3C17AFFA1FF74771BFC7D0144.text	550B87C3C17AFFA1FF74771BFC7D0144.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Berardiinae Moore 1968	<div><p>Subfamily BERARDIINAE Moore, 1968</p> <p>TYPE GENUS. — Berardius Duvernoy, 1851.</p> <p>OTHER GENERA INCLUDED. — Archaeoziphius Lambert &amp; Louwye, 2006 and Microberardius n. gen.</p> <p>EMENDED DIAGNOSIS. — Berardiinae differ from all other Ziphiidae in the presence of a nodular protuberance formed by the interparietal or the frontals on the vertex Berardius spp. are further characterized by two pairs of apical and subapical enlarged teeth on the mandible; this character still needs to be confirmed in Archaeoziphius and Microberardius n. gen.</p> <p>Other characters differentiating Berardiinae from more derived taxa are mostly symplesiomorphies: narrow and thin premaxillary crest on the low vertex; supraoccipital lower than the frontals on the vertex.</p> <p>DISCUSSION</p> <p>The content of the subfamily Berardiinae as defined here is more similar to the subtribe Berardiina of Moore (1968) (only including Berardius) than to the tribe Berardiini of Muizon (1991) (including Berardius, Ninoziphius, and Tasmacetus) or to the subfamily? Berardiinae of Lambert (2005) (including Berardius and Tasmacetus). Additional specimens of Ninoziphius with a well preserved vertex could clarify the relationships of this genus in the proposed framework. A fragmentary cranium from the Neogene of Japan is referred to Berardius sp. (Takahashi et al. 1989); despite general shape similarities with Berardius, the vertex might be too incomplete to provide diagnostic characters.</p> <p>The presence of an ossified mesethmoid filling a significant portion of the mesorostral groove, observed in Berardius, but not verifiable in Microberardius n. gen., is also noted in SAM PQ 69676 (see below, Nenga n. gen.).</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C17AFFA1FF74771BFC7D0144	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C17AFFA1FCD57618FB9E00E2.text	550B87C3C17AFFA1FCD57618FB9E00E2.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Microberardius Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Genus Microberardius n. gen.</p> <p>TYPE SPECIES. — Microberardius africanus n. gen., n. sp., by present designation.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — From the Ancient Greek “mikros”, small and Berardius, a Recent ziphiid genus. Microberardius n. gen. for the small size of the species and its cranial similarities with Berardius spp. Gender masculine.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Same as for the species.</p></div> 	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C17AFFA1FCD57618FB9E00E2	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C17AFFA2FCC177BDFB980622.text	550B87C3C17AFFA2FCC177BDFB980622.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Microberardius africanus Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Microberardius africanus n. sp.</p> <p>HOLOTYPE. — SAM PQ 3003, a partial skull including the anteriorly worn rostrum, most of the dorsal surface of the cranium and the nearly complete vertex.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — “africanus” for the African origin of the holotype.</p> <p>frontal</p> <p>FIG. 2. — Skull of Microberardius africanus n. gen., n. sp. (SAM PQ 3003, holotype): A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, ventral view. Scale bar: 10 cm.</p> <p>TYPE LOCALITY. — No data. Trawled off the South African coast.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Microberardius africanus n. gen., n. sp. differs from Berardius in: smaller size; thickening of the vomer in the anterior portion of the mesorostral groove; rostrum higher than wide along most of its length; narrower rostrum base and maxillary crest not extended on the rostrum base. It differs from Archaeoziphius in: slightly concave premaxillary sac fossa; higher maxillary crest; more anteriorly pointed nasals; larger distance between the maxillae across the vertex and the nodular bone in the posterior vertex being the interparietal instead of the frontals.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION (FIGS 2; 3; TABLE 1)</p> <p>Considering the height of the preserved apex of the rostrum, a significant part of the anterior portion is probably missing. Where preserved, the rostrum</p> <p>height is larger than the width at the same level, except along the base. The dense vomer fills the anterior part of the mesorostral groove, leaving a widely open space posteriorly for the presumed anterior extension of the ossified mesethmoid. Among Recent ziphiids, a lengthened ossified portion of the mesethmoid is only observed in Berardius spp. (e.g., B. arnuxii, SAM ZM 39296; B. bairdii in True 1910: pl. 26). A marked sulcus laterally separates the thickened vomer from the premaxilla.</p> <p>The premaxillary sac fossa is slightly concave. The ascending process of the premaxilla lacks a constriction under the premaxillary crest in anterior view. The moderate elevation towards the vertex does not reach vertical. The premaxillary crest is transversely oriented without a distinct dorsal thickening or widening, similar to Archaeoziphius and Berardius. The right crest is somewhat wider than the left. The large maxillary foramen just posterior to the level of the antorbital notch is anteriorly followed by a wide and short groove. Both right premaxillary and maxillary foramina are located more posteriorly than their left side counterparts. A high maxillary crest culminating on the preorbital process adjoins the maxillary foramen laterally. Unlike in Berardius, the crest does not extent onto the rostrum base.</p> <p>The dorsal surface of the nasals is damaged. Their outline is pentagon-shaped, their anterior point reaches the level of the premaxillary crest and the anterolateral corner does not thrust into the premaxillary crest. The anteromedian groove between the nasals seen in dorsal view is probably caused by erosion. The naso-frontal suture is irregular with a posteriorly longer right nasal. The frontals are more transversely compressed and lower than the nasals on the vertex. Posterior to the frontals, lower and slightly shifted to the right, is a nodular uneven bone interpreted as an interparietal. Its low position relative to the vertex in lateral view suggests that the supraoccipital did not reach the vertex dorsally. Such a bone is at least occasionally observed in a similar position in Berardius arnuxii (e.g., SAM ZM 39296, Fig. 4; Moore 1968: figs 19, 23). In other specimens of Berardius spp. and in Archaeoziphius, the frontals themselves form a nodular eminence between the lower supraoccipital and the nasals.</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C17AFFA2FCC177BDFB980622	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C179FFACFC8B71E6FE2B047F.text	550B87C3C179FFACFC8B71E6FE2B047F.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Berardiinae	<div><p>Berardiinae indet.</p> <p>REFERRED SPECIMEN. — SAM PQ 2198, a partial skull including the rostrum base, the premaxillary sac fossae, and the vertex.</p> <p>LOCALITY. — No data. Trawled off the South African coast.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION AND DISCUSSION (FIG. 5; TABLE 1) This specimen shows a severely worn rostrum and a damaged vertex with poorly preserved premaxillary crests. The rostrum base is similar to that of Nenga n. gen. (see below). However, differences within the cranium prevent an attribution to the latter genus: the premaxillary sac fossa is much longer (quantified as the distance between the anterior margin of the bony nares and the premaxillary foramen); the elevation of the premaxilla towards the lower vertex is more progressive and the nasals are longer and transversely narrower. Posterior to the nasals, the sutures between the transversely compressed frontals and a median rounded bone could be distinguished. As in Berardius arnuxii and Microberardius n. gen., this bone is interpreted as the interparietal. This character is our main reason to include SAM PQ 2198 in the subfamily Berardiinae.</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C179FFACFC8B71E6FE2B047F	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C177FFACFF2A7106FBB6043B.text	550B87C3C177FFACFF2A7106FBB6043B.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Izikoziphius Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Genus Izikoziphius n. gen.</p> <p>TYPE SPECIES. — Izikoziphius rossi n. gen., n. sp., by present designation.</p> <p>OTHER SPECIES INCLUDED. — Izikoziphius angustus n. gen., n. sp.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — Iziko is the network of South African museums, which includes the South African Museum where most of the specimens studied here are stored, Ziphius is a Recent ziphiid genus. Gender masculine.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Izikoziphius n. gen. differs from all the other members of the Ziphiinae in the presence of a fossa on the anterior surface of the ascending process of the premaxilla distinct from the premaxillary sac fossa. It differs from Ziphius in: longer rostrum; lack of a prenarial basin; lesser asymmetry of the premaxillary sac fossae (&lt;0.40) and longer contact between nasal and premaxillary crest. It differs from Tusciziphius in: the barely concave premaxillary sac fossa and the anterior part of the nasal not contacting the premaxillary crest. It differs from Choneziphius in: longer rostrum; premaxillae medially separated on the rostrum by the thickened vomer and barely concave premaxillary sac fossa. It differs from Caviziphius in: premaxillae medially separated on the rostrum by the thickened vomer; lower rostrum base and less asymmetric and barely concave premaxillary sac fossa. It differs from Aporotus, Beneziphius, Messapicetus, and Ziphirostrum in: longitudinally elongated nasals; premaxillae medially separated on the rostrum by the thickened vomer and lack of a constriction of the ascending process of the premaxilla (last character less clearly present in Messapicetus). Both species of Izikoziphius n. gen. have a somewhat smaller cranium size than Ziphius cavirostris.</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C177FFACFF2A7106FBB6043B	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C177FFACFF0F7321FE9B0647.text	550B87C3C177FFACFF0F7321FE9B0647.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Ziphiinae Gray 1850	<div><p>Subfamily ZIPHIINAE Gray, 1850</p> <p>TYPE GENUS. — Ziphius Cuvier, 1823.</p> <p>OTHER GENERA INCLUDED. — Aporotus, Beneziphius, Caviziphius, Choneziphius, Messapicetus, Tusciziphius, Ziphirostrum and Izikoziphius n. gen.</p> <p>EMENDED DIAGNOSIS. — The subfamily Ziphiinae differs from all other Ziphiidae in having the contact between nasal and premaxillary crest reduced and the transverse premaxillary crest directed anterolaterally. It further differs from the Berardiinae in the lack of a nodular interparietal on the vertex, from the Hyperoodontinae, Khoikhoicetus n. gen., Pterocetus n. gen., Xhosacetus n. gen. (three new genera described below), and Tasmacetus in the lack of an intrusion of the nasal into the narrow premaxillary crest.</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C177FFACFF0F7321FE9B0647	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C177FFA9FCF573E2FD8E0002.text	550B87C3C177FFA9FCF573E2FD8E0002.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Izikoziphius rossi Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Izikoziphius rossi n. sp.</p> <p>HOLOTYPE. — PEM N 3265, a partial skull including the rostrum, the anterior part of the cranium, and the vertex.</p> <p>REFERRED SPECIMEN. — SAM PQ 2086, a partial skull including the rostrum, the anterior part of the cranium, and the vertex, trawled off the South African coast</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — Honouring Dr. Graham J. B. Ross, a cetologist formerly at the PEM who studied in detail extant cetaceans, including the ziphiids, of South African waters.</p> <p>TYPE LOCALITY. — No data. Trawled off the South African coast.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Izikoziphius rossi n. gen., n. sp. differs from I. angustus n. gen., n. sp. in: rostrum wider than high at mid-length; wide rostrum base; maxillary crest extending on the rostrum base; wide fossa on the anterior surface of the ascending process of the right premaxilla excavating the nasal; anteromedian depression of the dorsal surface of the nasals and a distinctly more elevated right side of the vertex.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION (FIGS 6-9; TABLE 2)</p> <p>The rostrum is wider than high at mid-length. The rostrum base is particularly wide (more prominent in the holotype); the lateral margin of the subhorizontal platform of the maxilla present from midway along the rostrum progressively diverges and rises to a crest towards the antorbital notch. The highest dome-like portion of the crest is located on the preorbital process. Medially to this dome, the large maxillary foramen opens anterolaterally with a circular section.</p> <p>The premaxilla is longer anteriorly than the maxilla. The alveolar groove is either absent or much reduced.</p> <p>The mesorostral groove is filled with the thickened vomer, but a wide median groove is retained posteriorly.The maximum elevation of the vomer is around two thirds of the length of the rostrum in SAM PQ 2086, less pronounced in PEM N 3265.</p> <p>The narrow premaxillary foramen, posterior to the antorbital notch, is depressed compared to the slightly concave premaxillary sac fossa. The elevated lateral margin of the fossa overhangs the maxilla along its posterior half. The lateral margins of the ascending processes of the premaxillae are parallel until the elevated vertex. The vertical anterior surface of each ascending process is hollowed out by a deep elliptical fossa, extending medially on the anterolateral surface of the nasal. The right fossa is wider than the left. In relation to the morphology of the air sacs connected to the nasal passages and the surrounding bony configuration in Recent ziphiids and other odontocetes (Heyning 1989; Cranford et al. 1996), this fossa corresponds to the location of the posterior nasal sac (sensu Heyning 1989, more generally the caudal sac in Cranford et al. 1996). We suggest that in Izikoziphius n. gen. a homologous air sac was located in this elliptical fossa. A pair of smaller fossae is present ventromedially at the naso-mesethmoid suture (best seen in SAM PQ 2086), probably related to the foramina of the terminal nerve. The mesethmoid is weakly or not keeled under the nasals.</p> <p>The relatively thin premaxillary crests are anterolaterally directed. The right crest is twice longer than the left (best preserved in PEM N 3265).</p> <p>The large nasals, widest at mid-length and slightly longer than wide, are anteriorly longer than the premaxillary crests. Their dorsal surface is slightly anteromedially depressed. The naso-frontal suture is posteriorly irregularly convex with the right nasal longer than the left. The frontals were originally probably short.</p> <p>In anterior view, the right side of the vertex is considerably higher than the left side.</p> <p>infraorbital foramen</p></div> 	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C177FFA9FCF573E2FD8E0002	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C172FFAAFF2377A8FEF203CD.text	550B87C3C172FFAAFF2377A8FEF203CD.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Izikoziphius angustus Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Izikoziphius angustus n. sp.</p> <p>HOLOTYPE. — SAM PQ 3004, a partial skull including the rostrum and most of the dorsal surface of the cranium with the vertex.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — From Latin “angustus”, narrow, for the transversely compressed rostrum, narrower than in the</p> <p>type species I. rossi n. gen., n. sp.</p> <p>TYPE LOCALITY. —Trawled at 34°39’82”S, 18°03’31”E, southwest of Cape Town, Atlantic Ocean, depth of 450 m.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Izikoziphius angustus n. gen., n. sp. differs from I. rossi n. gen., n. sp. in: longer rostrum higher than wide; narrower rostrum base; more elevated maxillary crest, not extending on to the rostrum; mesethmoid distinctly keeled under the nasals; nasals much longer than wide and right side of vertex less elevated.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION (FIGS 10; 11; TABLE 2)</p> <p>The only known specimen is a well preserved skull including the complete rostrum, most of the dorsal surface of the cranium, and the vertex.</p> <p>The moderately elongated rostrum is higher than wide at mid-length and the dorsal surface of the maxilla is narrow. The rostrum base is narrower than in Izikoziphius rossi n. gen., n. sp.; the widening toward the antorbital notch is abrupt. The thickened vomer completely fills the mesorostral groove and is slightly higher than the premaxilla for its entire length. Only the apical premaxillary portion of the rostrum shows a concave dorsal surface. No alveolar groove could be detected.</p> <p>The premaxillary foramen is posterior to the antorbital notch, roughly in line with the large, but transversely compressed, maxillary foramen. The slightly concave premaxillary sac fossa, as in Izikoziphius rossi n. gen., n. sp., overhangs the maxilla along its posterior part. The vertical anterior surface of the ascending process of the right premaxilla is excavated by a fossa less developed medially than in Izikoziphius rossi n. gen., n. sp., only contacting the nasal for a short distance. The left premaxilla is too damaged to determine the presence of a fossa. The keeled mesethmoid nearly completely covers the anterior surface of the nasals.</p> <p>At the level of the preorbital process, the domelike maxillary crest is more elevated than in Izikoziphius rossi n. gen., n. sp. and does not extend into the rostrum base.</p> <p>On the elevated vertex the premaxillary crests are anterolaterally directed, similar to Izikoziphius rossi n. gen., n. sp. The nasals are longer compared to their width than in the latter species and their dorsal surface is flat.</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C172FFAAFF2377A8FEF203CD	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C171FFAAFCD3775AFCD200F7.text	550B87C3C171FFAAFCD3775AFCD200F7.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Ziphius Cuvier 1823	<div><p>Genus Ziphius Cuvier, 1823</p> <p>TYPE AND ONLY SPECIES. — Ziphius cavirostris Cuvier, 1823, by monotypy.</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C171FFAAFCD3775AFCD200F7	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C171FFB5FCB777BDFCF403CD.text	550B87C3C171FFB5FCB777BDFCF403CD.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Ziphius Cuvier 1823	<div><p>Ziphius sp.</p> <p>REFERRED SPECIMEN. — SAM PQ 2826, a fragment of cranium including most of the vertex, the right and part of the left premaxillary sac fossae.</p> <p>LOCALITY. — Trawled at 35°11’S, 23°26’E, south coast of South Africa, Indian Ocean, depth of 1000 m.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION AND DISCUSSION</p> <p>(FIG. 12; TABLE 3)</p> <p>The anterior surface of the ascending process of the premaxilla is distinctly concave up to its dorsal portion, overhanging the premaxillary sac fossa. The highly asymmetric premaxillary crests (the right crest two times wider than the left) are anterolaterally directed. The nasals are greatly elongated anteriorly, being almost twice longer than wide. Their median suture is anteriorly shifted to the left.</p> <p>SAM PQ 2826 only differs from the Recent Ziphius cavirostris in: its larger size (see comparison of measurements with the largest skull of Z. cavirostris from the SAM collection, Table 3), the longer contact between nasal and premaxillary crest (a condition intermediary between Z. cavirostris and the Pliocene Tusciziphius crispus), and the relatively smaller nasals.</p> <p>Considering the strong similarities with Z. cavirostris at the level of the vertex, this specimen should be referred to the same genus. Because of its clearly larger size it may represent a new species of Ziphius, but in view of its fragmentary preservation diagnosis at specific level is not currently possible.</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C171FFB5FCB777BDFCF403CD	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C16FFFB4FF5272AFFE1A0663.text	550B87C3C16FFFB4FF5272AFFE1A0663.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Hyperoodontinae Gray 1866	<div><p>Subfamily HYPEROODONTINAE Gray, 1866</p> <p>TYPE GENUS. — Hyperoodon Lacépède, 1804.</p> <p>OTHER GENERA INCLUDED. — Indopacetus Moore, 1968, Mesoplodon Gervais, 1850, Ihlengesi n. gen., Africanacetus n. gen., and Khoikhoicetus n. gen.</p> <p>EMENDED DIAGNOSIS. — Hyperoodontinae differ from all the other Ziphiidae in the deep anteromedian excavation of the nasals.</p> <p>DISCUSSION</p> <p>Hyperoodontinae as defined here follows the content of the subfamily suggested by Muizon (1991); they correspond neither to the tribe Hyperoodontini sensu Moore 1968, including Hyperoodon, Indopacetus, Mesoplodon, and Tasmacetus nor to the subtribe Hyperoodontina sensu Moore 1968, only including Hyperoodon and Mesoplodon.</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C16FFFB4FF5272AFFE1A0663	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C16FFFB4FF1F76F9FC460008.text	550B87C3C16FFFB4FF1F76F9FC460008.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Khoikhoicetus agulhasis Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Khoikhoicetus agulhasis n. sp.</p> <p>HOLOTYPE. — SAM PQ 2678, partial skull including most of the rostrum, the anterior part of the cranium, and the vertex.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — The holotype was found offshore from Cape Agulhas, a locality on the south coast of South Africa. The oceanic current running along the south-east coast of South Africa is also named Agulhas Current.</p> <p>TYPE LOCALITY. — No exact locality.Trawled west of Cape Agulhas, south coast of South Africa, Indian Ocean.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Khoikhoicetus agulhasis n. gen., n. sp. differs from all the other Hyperoodontinae in lacking the posterolaterally directed premaxillary crest. It differs from Indopacetus in: smaller size; narrow rostrum base; narrower premaxillary crests and nasals longer than the frontals on the vertex. It differs from Africanacetus n. gen., Hyperoodon, Ihlengesi n. gen., and Mesoplodon in: shorter intrusion of the nasal in the premaxillary crest; premaxillary crest not overhanging the premaxillary sac fossa. The space between the premaxillary crests is wider than in Hyperoodon and Mesoplodon.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION (FIGS 13; 14; TABLE 4)</p> <p>On the only known skull, the rostrum was probably relatively short, not much longer than the preserved length. It is somewhat wider than high along its anterior half and as wide as high posteriorly. The mesorostral groove is filled by the vomer, with a median suture on the posterior half. The ventral margin of the alveolar groove, lacking marks of alveoli, extends to the antorbital notch; contrary to Mesoplodon grayi, M. hectori, M. layardii, and M. slangkopi n. sp. (see below) this feature is not visible in dorsal view.</p> <p>The rostrum base lacks a prominental notch; the antorbital notch is wide and probably shallow, at the level of the premaxillary foramen and slightly anterior to the small maxillary foramen lying along the premaxilla-maxilla suture. Posterior to the antorbital notch, a low maxillary crest thickens the preorbital process, with a lateral slope similar to Africanacetus n. gen.</p> <p>The weakly asymmetric premaxillary sac fossae are anteromedially tilted. The ascending process is moderately constricted in anterior view. The foramina for the terminal nerve in the mesethmoid are strongly asymmetric; the left foramen is much smaller than the right.</p> <p>The premaxillary crest is thin and laterally elongated, with a vertical anterior surface. The posterior projection of the premaxilla along the nasal reaches the frontal. The anterolateral corner of the roughly pentagon-shaped nasals forms only a small part of the premaxillary crest; the dorsal surface is anteromedially depressed. The naso-frontal suture is anteriorly pointed; the left nasal extends longer posteriorly than the right nasal.</p></div> 	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C16FFFB4FF1F76F9FC460008	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C16FFFB4FF217125FE53013E.text	550B87C3C16FFFB4FF217125FE53013E.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Khoikhoicetus Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Genus Khoikhoicetus n. gen.</p> <p>TYPE SPECIES. — Khoikhoicetus agulhasis n. gen., n. sp., by present designation.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — Khoikhoi is one of the ethnic groups occupying south-western Africa, closely related to the Bushmen, “cetus” from Latin, whale. Gender masculine.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Same as for the species.</p></div> 	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C16FFFB4FF217125FE53013E	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C16FFFB6FCF077DCFCC80166.text	550B87C3C16FFFB6FCF077DCFCC80166.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Ihlengesi Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Genus Ihlengesi n. gen.</p> <p>TYPE SPECIES. — Ihlengesi saldanhae n. gen., n. sp., by present designation.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — “ Ihlengesi ” means dolphin (smaller animal from the sea) in the native South African Xhosa language. Gender masculine.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Same as for the species.</p> <p>maxilla</p> <p>premaxilla vomer maxillary foramen</p> <p>FIG. 14. — Vertex of skull of Khoikhoicetus agulhasis n. gen., n. sp. (SAM PQ 2678, holotype): A, dorsal view; B, corresponding line drawing; C, anterior view; D, corresponding line drawing. Scale bars: A, B, 2 cm; C, D, 5 cm.</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C16FFFB6FCF077DCFCC80166	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C16DFFB3FF37764EFD9B06C5.text	550B87C3C16DFFB3FF37764EFD9B06C5.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Ihlengesi saldanhae Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Ihlengesi saldanhae n. sp.</p> <p>HOLOTYPE. — SAM PQ 2792, partial skull including the rostrum base, anterior part of the cranium, and the vertex.</p> <p>PARATYPE. — SAM PQ 69673, rostrum with anterior part of the cranium trawled off Cape Columbine, west coast of South Africa, Atlantic Ocean. This specimen was previously referred to “cf. Mesoplodon densirostris, M. grayi, M. australis ” by Haughton (1956) on the basis of the location of the premaxillary foramina. This well preserved rostrum provides additional information for the species description.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — The holotype was found offshore from Saldanha Bay, a locality on the west coast of South Africa.</p> <p>TYPE LOCALITY. — No exact locality.Trawled off Saldanha Bay, west coast of South Africa, Atlantic Ocean.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Ihlengesi saldanhae n. gen., n. sp. differs from all other Hyperoodontinae in the shortened premaxillary sac fossa (ratio between measurements 15 and 16 lower than 0.30). It shares with Africanacetus n. gen., Hyperoodon, and Mesoplodon: the inclusion of the nasal into the premaxillary crest over at least half the length of the median margin of the crest and a deep anteromedian excavation of the nasals. Both characters are absent in Khoikhoicetus n. gen. and Indopacetus. It further differs from Africanacetus n. gen. in: smaller size; maxillary foramen close to the prominental notch at the rostrum base; roughly flat dorsal surface of the preorbital process and premaxillary sac fossa not laterally sloping. The space between the premaxillary crests is wider than in Hyperoodon and Mesoplodon.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION (FIGS 15; 16; TABLE 4)</p> <p>A large part of the elongated and transversely compressed rostrum, higher than wide, is preserved in SAM PQ 69673. The maxilla is roughly hidden from the dorsal view for the anterior half of the rostrum. A slight constriction is seen in dorsal view at c. 120 mm from the preserved apex. The vomer fills the mesorostral groove over its whole length.</p> <p>A maxilla</p> <p>premaxilla</p> <p>maxillary foramen</p> <p>In the holotype, the maximum height and width of the vomer is reached at the rostrum base; a second hump at one third of the length of the rostrum is observed in SAM PQ 69673 (not preserved in the holotype). A median suture marks the dorsal surface of the vomer at the rostrum base. In the holotype, the two premaxillae nearly contact each other above the mesorostral groove 70 mm anterior to the antorbital notches, a condition sometimes observed in Recent Mesoplodon densirostris. The ventrolateral surface of the rostrum of both specimens is worn.</p> <p>The prominental notch is wide and roughly as deep as in Mesoplodon layardii. A reduced maxillary foramen opens anterolaterally as a triangular fissure towards the prominental notch. At the level of the well developed maxillary tubercle, the preorbital process is barely convex, lacking a distinct maxillary crest.</p> <p>The distinctly asymmetric premaxillary sac fossae are short; the distance between the anterior margin of the bony nares and the premaxillary foramen is small. The premaxillary foramen is located in a shallow depression behind the level of the antorbital notch. The ascending process of the premaxilla is strongly constricted in anterior view.</p> <p>The vertex is moderately elevated. The premaxillary crest is thick and wide, posterolaterally directed. An oblique transverse groove limits ventrally the anterior surface of each premaxillary crest. The thicker right crest overhangs the ascending process. The lateral margins of the longitudinally elongated nasals are anteriorly diverging; the anterolateral corner is distinctly thrust into the medial part of the premaxillary crest. The anteromedial surface of the nasals is strongly excavated; it forms a deep vertical groove between the premaxillary crests. The naso-frontal suture is convex posteriorly.</p></div> 	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C16DFFB3FF37764EFD9B06C5	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C168FFB3FF2C7187FE53004A.text	550B87C3C168FFB3FF2C7187FE53004A.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Africanacetus Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Genus Africanacetus n. gen.</p> <p>TYPE SPECIES. — Africanacetus ceratopsis n. gen., n. sp., by present designation.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — From “ Africana ”, the Marine Coastal Management fishery research vessel, which trawled three specimens of this genus at the same locality off the south coast of South Africa, “cetus” from Latin, whale. Gender masculine.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Same as for the species.</p></div> 	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C168FFB3FF2C7187FE53004A	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C168FFBCFF1F771CFEFC0107.text	550B87C3C168FFBCFF1F771CFEFC0107.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Africanacetus ceratopsis Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Africanacetus ceratopsis n. sp.</p> <p>HOLOTYPE. — NMR 9991-00001993, a partial skull including the rostrum and the dorsal part of the cranium with the vertex.</p> <p>REFERRED SPECIMENS. — SAM PQ 2162, trawled off Cape coast; SAM PQ 2235, trawled off Cape coast, Atlantic Ocean; SAM PQ 2708, trawled at 35°01’S, 24°06’E, south coast of South Africa, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=24.1&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-35.016666" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 24.1/lat -35.016666)">Indian Ocean</a>, depth of 914 m; SAM PQ 2709, trawled at 35°01’S, 24°06’E, south coast of South Africa, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=24.1&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-35.016666" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 24.1/lat -35.016666)">Indian Ocean</a>, depth of 914 m; SAM PQ 2713, trawled at 35°01’S, 24°06’E, south coast of South Africa, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=24.1&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-35.016666" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 24.1/lat -35.016666)">Indian Ocean</a>, depth of 914 m; SAM PQ 3002, trawled at 34°50’S 18°14’E, south of Cape <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=18.233334&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=-34.833332" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long 18.233334/lat -34.833332)">Town</a>, depth of 604 m; SAM PQ 3062, trawled off Cape coast; SAM PQ 69683, trawled off Cape Peninsula, between Cape Point and Slangkop lighthouse, depth of 160- 170 m. Most of the referred specimens are rostra, usually preserved with the anterior of the cranium, but lacking the vertex. SAM PQ 69683 is an isolated vertex.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — From the combination of the following two Ancient Greek words: “keras” (genitive “keratos”), horn, and “opsis”, aspect, appearance. For the protuberant paired maxillary crests.</p> <p>TYPE LOCALITY. — No exact locality. Trawled south west off the South African coast, Atlantic Ocean, depth less than 600 m.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Africanacetus ceratopsis n. gen., n. sp. differs from all other Hyperoodontinae in: presence of a dome-like elevated maxillary crest on the supraorbital process and laterally sloping premaxillary sac fossa. It shares with Ihlengesi n. gen., Hyperoodon, and Mesoplodon: the dorsal part of the ascending process of the premaxilla partly overhanging the bony nares, and the larger portion of the nasal thrust into the premaxillary crest, differing in these characters from Khoikhoicetus n. gen. and Indopacetus. It further differs from Hyperoodon and Mesoplodon in the wide median separation of the premaxillary crests.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION (FIGS 17; 18; TABLE 4)</p> <p>The robust rostrum is long (rostrum of SAM PQ 2235 originally longer than 671 mm) and elevated, higher than wide over its entire length. The vomer fills the mesorostral groove, showing a median suture, between its two thickened lateral walls, on its posterior part; the vomer is more elevated than the premaxilla over its complete length. The width of the vomer in the groove varies within the species, sometimes occupying most of the dorsal surface of the rostrum (e.g., SAM PQ 3002). It widens at mid-length on several specimens. At the contact with the premaxilla, the vomer usually shows a slight constriction and therefore the dorsal prominent part of the vomer slightly overhangs the premaxilla. The alveolar groove is barely visible.</p> <p>The lateral margins of the rostrum diverge abruptly towards the prominental notches, creating a wide concave dorsal surface of the maxilla at the rostrum base, with an acute lateral margin. The antorbital</p> <p>A dome-like maxillary crest</p> <p>premaxillary premaxilla premaxillary crest crest</p> <p>notch, separated from the prominental notch by a distinct maxillary tubercle, is positioned roughly at the longitudinal level of the premaxillary foramen. Posteromedial to the maxillary tubercle rises a characteristic elevated dome-like maxillary crest, not extending onto the rostrum base. The median slope of the dome is nearly vertical. In several specimens a large maxillary foramen is transversely compressed between this crest and the premaxilla, somewhat more posterior than the premaxillary foramen.</p> <p>The premaxillary sac fossa is thicker medially, laterally lowering as in Mesoplodon layardii. The ascending process is short and constricted in anterior view; the upper part of its anterior surface is vertical. The lateral margins of the bony nares continue parallel dorsally. On the moderately elevated vertex, the premaxillary crest is thick, wide, and posterolaterally directed. The robust posterior projection of the premaxilla along the nasal contacts the frontal.</p> <p>The nasals are distinctly wider anteriorly, with the anterolateral corner included in the posterior half of the premaxillary crest. The anteromedian surface of the nasals is excavated, leaving a large space between the premaxillary crests. The nasofrontal suture is W-shaped; the right nasal is longer than the left. The frontal is much shorter than the nasal on the vertex.</p></div> 	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C168FFBCFF1F771CFEFC0107	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C167FFBCFF0D76D9FF1903CC.text	550B87C3C167FFBCFF0D76D9FF1903CC.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Mesoplodon Gervais 1850	<div><p>Genus Mesoplodon Gervais, 1850</p> <p>TYPE SPECIES. — Physeter bidens Sowerby, 1804, by original designation.</p> <p>OTHER RECENT SPECIES INCLUDED. — Mesoplodon bowdoini Andrews, 1908, M. carlhubbsi Moore, 1963, M. densirostris (Blainville, 1817), M. europaeus (Gervais, 1855), M. ginkgodens Nishiwaki &amp; Kamiya, 1958, M. grayi Haast, 1876, M. hectori (Gray, 1871), M. layardii (Gray, 1865), M. mirus True, 1913, M. perrini Dalebout, Mead, Baker, Baker &amp; van Helden, 2002, M. peruvianus Reyes, Mead &amp; van Waerebeek, 1991, M. stejnegeri True, 1885, and M. traversii (Gray, 1874).</p> <p>FOSSIL SPECIES INCLUDED. — Until now, the only fossil species for which the vertex is described is M. slangkopi n. sp.</p></div> 	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C167FFBCFF0D76D9FF1903CC	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C167FFB9FCDC72A0FED50069.text	550B87C3C167FFB9FCDC72A0FED50069.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Mesoplodon slangkopi Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Mesoplodon slangkopi n. sp.</p> <p>HOLOTYPE. — SAM PQ 2069, partial skull including the rostrum base and the dorsal surface of the cranium with the vertex.</p> <p>REFERRED SPECIMEN. — SAM ZM 35107, partial skull including the deeply worn rostrum base, the premaxillary sac fossae, and the vertex, trawled off the South African coast.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — The holotype was found offshore from Slangkop (meaning snake head in old Dutch), a locality on the south coast of South Africa.</p> <p>TYPE LOCALITY. — No exact locality. Trawled off Slangkop, Cape Province.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Mesoplodon slangkopi n. sp. is a small member of the genus, with cranial dimensions close to M. perrini and M. peruvianus. It shares with M. carlhubbsi, M. densirostris, M. grayi, and M. layardii the extension of the ventral margin of the alveolar groove until the prominental notch. The rostrum base is narrower than in M. bidens, M. bowdoini, M. europaeus, M. ginkgodens, M. hectori, M. mirus, M. peruvianus, M. stejnegeri, and M. traversii; the prominental notch is more excavated than in M. bidens, M. hectori, M. mirus, M. perrini, M. peruvianus, and M. stejnegeri; the maxillary crest is distinctly lower than in M. bowdoini, M. carlhubbsi, M. europaeus, M. ginkgodens, M. mirus, and M. traversii; the maxillary ridge along the lateral margin of the supraorbital process is much lower than in M. carlhubbsi and M. layardii; the premaxillary foramen is more anterior, closer to the level of the antorbital notch, than in M. bowdoini, M. carlhubbsi, M. densirostris, and M. stejnegeri; the premaxillary sac fossae and premaxillary crests are less asymmetric than in M. layardii and M. traversii; the distance between the premaxillary crests is shorter than in M. carlhubbsi, M. layardii, and M. mirus; the premaxillary crest (especially the right crest) is laterally shorter than in M. bowdoini, M. carlhubbsi, M. densirostris, M. layardii, M. mirus, and M. traversii; the premaxillary crest overhangs the bony nares more than in M. grayi, less than in M. bowdoini and M. traversii, the nasal is shorter along the median margin of the premaxillary crest than in M. bowdoini, M. ginkgodens, and M. traversii; the nasal is longer posteriorly, compared to the frontal, than in M. bidens, M.xcarlhubbsi, M. densirostris, M. hectori, M. layardii, M. peruvianus, and M. stejnegeri and the vertex is wider posterior to the premaxillary crests than in M. grayi, M. peruvianus, and M. traversii.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION (FIGS 19; 20; TABLE 4)</p> <p>From its base, the rostrum quickly narrows forwards. The anterior part is unknown but the rostrum is</p> <p>much higher than wide along its preserved part; it is particularly narrow compared to the width of the cranium at the antorbital notch, a condition somewhat similar to Mesoplodon grayi. The vomer fills the mesorostral groove, forming a hump at the rostrum base; a median suture is seen on its dorsal surface, shifted to the left. The alveolar groove is distinct until the rostrum base; the ventral margin of the groove extends to the prominental notch and is visible in dorsal view, strengthening the lateral margin of the rostrum base, as in M. grayi, and M. layardii. Shallow depressions in the groove indicate remnants of alveoli. The maxilla-palatine suture is pointed and located 87 mm anterior to the antorbital notch. The preserved anterior part of the pterygoid is robust and anterolaterally limits an elliptical pterygoid sinus fossa distinctly anterior to the prominental notch.</p> <p>A small foramen pierces the maxilla close to the wide prominental notch. Only a low crest follows the prominent maxillary tubercle posteriorly. A low maxillary ridge extends parallel to and near the lateral margin of the supraorbital process.</p> <p>The premaxillary foramen is located at the level of the antorbital notch. The ascending process of the premaxilla is strongly constricted in anterior view; the lateral margins of the bony nares are strongly converging dorsally.</p> <p>The vertex is moderately elevated and transversely compressed in its posterior part. The thick and wide, distinctly posterolaterally directed and asymmetric premaxillary crests overhang the ascending process and the bony nares. The distance between the two crests is small and an oblique transverse groove limits ventrally the anterior surface of each crest, with a general configuration close to M. densirostris. The posterior projection of the premaxilla along the nasal is approximately as long as the nasal and much widened, especially on the right side, similar to M. hectori. The lateral margins of the elongated nasals are parallel; the anterolateral corner of each nasal is included in the corresponding premaxillary crest for approximately half the median length of the crest. The anteromedian excavation of the nasals is deep and narrow. The frontals were probably much shorter than the nasals.</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C167FFB9FCDC72A0FED50069	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C162FFB9FEC877FBFE5303CD.text	550B87C3C162FFB9FEC877FBFE5303CD.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Nenga Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Genus Nenga n. gen.</p> <p>TYPE SPECIES. — Nenga meganasalis n. gen., n. sp., by present designation.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — “ Nenga ” means whale (larger animal from the sea) in the native South African Xhosa language. Gender masculine.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Same as for the species.</p></div> 	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C162FFB9FEC877FBFE5303CD	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C162FFBAFCEC72AFFE700368.text	550B87C3C162FFBAFCEC72AFFE700368.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Nenga meganasalis Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Nenga meganasalis n. sp.</p> <p>HOLOTYPE. — SAM PQ 69675, a partial skull including the rostrum, the premaxillary sac fossae, and the vertex.</p> <p>REFERRED SPECIMENS. — SAM PQ 2117, a partial rostrum, trawled off the South African coast; SAM PQ 2339, a partial skull including the rostrum base, the premaxillary sac fossae, and the vertex, trawled off Cape coast; SAM PQ 69676, a partial rostrum and anterior of the cranium, trawled west of Cape Point, Atlantic Ocean (depth 347 m).</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — From the Ancient Greek “megas”, large; “meganasalis” for the large nasals of this species.</p> <p>TYPE LOCALITY. — No exact locality. Trawled west of Cape Town, Atlantic Ocean.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Nenga meganasalis n. gen., n. sp. differs from all the other Ziphiidae in the nearly rectangular wide nasals occupying most of the vertex dorsally. It differs from the Ziphiinae in the mesorostral ossification of the mesethmoid and it lacks the main synapomorphy of the subfamily, the anterolaterally directed premaxillary crest. It differs from the Hyperoodontinae, Pterocetus n. gen., Tasmacetus, and Xhosacetus n. gen., in the mesorostral ossification of the mesethmoid and lacks the constriction of the ascending process of the premaxilla and the intrusion of the nasal in the narrow premaxillary crest. It differs from Ninoziphius in the rostrum elevated at its base and the reduction of the maxillary alveoli.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION (FIGS 21-23; TABLE 5)</p> <p>The almost complete rostrum of the holotype is robust and long. The maxilla ends more than 45 mm from the apex. At mid-length, the rostrum is wider than high. The morphology of the rostrum base varies within the species: it is wider in SAM PQ 2339 and SAM PQ 69676 with a wide concave subhorizontal surface of the maxilla following anteriorly the large maxillary foramen. In the holotype and SAM PQ 2117, the dorsal surface of the maxilla narrows more rapidly anteriorly, while the lateral slope is more pronounced. The lateral margin of the maxilla at the rostrum base is acute. The vomer is weakly thickened or not at all in the widely open mesorostral groove. In specimen SAM PQ 69676, the mesorostral groove is posteriorly filled by the ossified mesethmoid for a length of more than 100 mm (specimen incomplete anteriorly); in this species the ossified mesethmoid might have occupied</p> <p>A</p> <p>choana</p> <p>most of the length of the mesorostral groove. Shallow alveoli marks are still visible on the maxillary alveolar groove of the holotype.</p> <p>The premaxillary sac fossa is large and slightly concave; it rises slowly posteriorly until the ascending process. The ascent to the vertex from this point is more abrupt, but barely reaching vertical. In anterior view, the lateral margins of the premaxillae are roughly parallel until the transversely directed, weakly laterally developed, premaxillary crests.</p> <p>premaxillary premaxillary foramen</p> <p>sac fossa</p> <p>mesorostral groove</p> <p>filled by the mesethmoid concave dorsal surface</p> <p>The posterior projection of the premaxilla along the nasal contacts the frontal. The outline of the bony nares varies within the species being more V-shaped and longer in SAM PQ 2339.</p> <p>In the holotype, several smaller foramina pierce the maxilla just behind the large maxillary foramen at the rostrum base. The relative position of maxillary and premaxillary foramina varies within the species, around the level of the antorbital notch.</p> <p>The nasals occupy a large nearly rectangular surface on the wide and low vertex, much longer than the short strip of frontals (complete on SAM PQ2339), and wider than long. The lateral margin of the nasal is moderately convex and its anterolateral corner forms only a small part of the premaxillary crest. A vertical groove excavates the anterior margin of each nasal and the rounded anterior point of the nasals is only slightly more anterior than the premaxillary crests. The naso-frontal suture is roughly rectilinear. The morphology of the posterior portion of the vertex is not as well preserved as in Microberardius n. gen. and in the Berardiinae indet. described above. We therefore are unable to detect the presence or absence of the interparietal, preventing firm attribution to the subfamily Berardiinae (see phylogeny below).</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C162FFBAFCEC72AFFE700368	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C161FFBAFF327445FB9E0608.text	550B87C3C161FFBAFF327445FB9E0608.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Xhosacetus Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Genus Xhosacetus n. gen.</p> <p>TYPE SPECIES. — Xhosacetus hendeysi n. gen., n. sp., by present designation.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — From Xhosa, one of the official languages of South Africa, characterized by prominent clicks (the word Xhosa itself starts with a click), somewhat reminiscent of the echolocative clicks produced by odontocetes, and from Latin “cetus”, whale. Gender masculine.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Same as for the species.</p></div> 	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C161FFBAFF327445FB9E0608	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C161FF87FCE771E6FEDC07A3.text	550B87C3C161FF87FCE771E6FEDC07A3.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Xhosacetus hendeysi Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Xhosacetus hendeysi n. sp.</p> <p>HOLOTYPE. — SAM PQ 2082, a partial skull including most of the rostrum, anterior part of the cranium, and the vertex.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — Honouring Dr. Q. Brett Hendey, geologist and palaeontologist formerly at the SAM who dedicated his career to Tertiary terrestrial and marine mammals from South Africa, particularly from the famous site of Langebaanweg.</p> <p>TYPE LOCALITY. — No data. Trawled off the South African coast.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Xhosacetus hendeysi n. gen., n. sp. differs from all other ziphiids except Nenga n. gen. in possessing relatively large nasals, as wide as long, with roughly parallel lateral margins. It further differs from members of the Berardiinae and Ziphiinae in: the short intrusion of the nasal in the premaxillary crest; the filling of the mesorostral groove by the vomer at least partly by thickening of the lateral walls and from the Berardiinae in a moderate constriction of the ascending process of the premaxilla. It differs from the Hyperoodontinae and Ziphiinae in the transversely oriented premaxillary crest. It further differs from the Hyperoodontinae, Pterocetus n. gen., and Tasmacetus in the lack of an anteromedian depression of the nasals and from the same group, except Khoikhoicetus n. gen., in a weaker constriction of the ascending process of the premaxilla. It differs from Tasmacetus in: smaller size, mesorostral groove filled with ossified vomer and shallower alveolar groove. It differs from Ninoziphius in: elevated and narrow rostrum, mesorostral groove filled with ossified vomer and reduction of the maxillary alveoli.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION (FIGS 24; 25; TABLE 5)</p> <p>The anterior part of the rostrum is not complete; it might have originally measured 500 mm; its preserved part is higher than wide. The surface of the premaxilla is nearly vertical anteriorly. The widening of the rostrum posteriorly is progressive up to the faint prominental notch, followed by an abrupt divergence towards the antorbital notch. The shallow alveolar groove has slightly depressed areas interpreted as remains of alveoli.</p> <p>The vomer completely fills the mesorostral groove and its height in the groove decreases anteriorly. A deep sulcus separates the thickened vomer from the premaxilla laterally for its whole length. At the rostrum base, a median suture between the two walls of the vomer joins the anterior point of the ossified mesethmoid, at the level of the prominental notch.</p> <p>The premaxillary foramen is located just posterior to the shallow antorbital notch. The concave premaxillary sac fossae are weakly asymmetric. In anterior view a distinct constriction marks the lateral margin of the ascending process of the premaxilla.</p> <p>A sharp maxillary crest separates the large maxillary foramen from the antorbital notch. The lateral slope of the crest, leading to the laterally developed preorbital process, is weaker than the median slope. The left crest is more robust. The lacrimal bears a prominent knob-like anterolateral projection.</p> <p>The vertex is moderately elevated and the dorsal part of the ascending process of the premaxilla is vertical. The premaxillary crest is moderately thickened and transversely oriented, slightly overhanging the premaxillary sac fossa on the right side. The posterior projection of the premaxilla along the nasal contacts the frontal on both sides. The nasals are large, as wide as long, with roughly parallel lateral margins. The right nasal is somewhat wider and longer than the left nasal. The dorsal surface of the nasals is slightly sloping without an anteromedian depression; the anterior margin is excavated by a vertical groove and the anterolateral corner forms only a small part of the premaxillary crest. The frontal was originally probably much shorter than the nasal.</p></div> 	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C161FF87FCE771E6FEDC07A3	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C15CFF87FF3E7165FE4D017A.text	550B87C3C15CFF87FF3E7165FE4D017A.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Pterocetus Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Genus Pterocetus n. gen.</p> <p>TYPE SPECIES. — Pterocetus benguelae n. gen., n. sp., by present designation.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — From Ancient Greek “pteryx”, wing, for the large wing-like preorbital processes and from Latin “cetus”, whale. Gender masculine.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Same as for the species.</p></div> 	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C15CFF87FF3E7165FE4D017A	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C15CFF81FF287638FF52008B.text	550B87C3C15CFF81FF287638FF52008B.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Pterocetus benguelae Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Pterocetus benguelae n. sp.</p> <p>HOLOTYPE. — SAM PQ 2803, partial skull including most of the rostrum, the anterior part of the cranium, and the vertex.</p> <p>REFERRED SPECIMENS. — SAM PQ 69684, partial skull including a part of the rostrum and anterior part of the cranium, trawled west of Cape Town, Atlantic Ocean; SAM PQ 2163, partial skull including rostrum base and anterior part of the cranium, trawled off the South African coast.</p> <p>ETYMOLOGY. — From Benguela Current, the oceanic current running along south-east Africa, probably since the Miocene epoch. The holotype of this species was found off the west coast of South Africa.</p> <p>TYPE LOCALITY. — No exact locality. Trawled south of Saldanha Bay, west coast of South Africa, Atlantic Ocean, depth of 700 m.</p> <p>DIAGNOSIS. — Pterocetus benguelae n. gen., n. sp. differs from all other Ziphiidae in wider and deeper antorbital notch with much anterolaterally developed preorbital process and from all other Ziphiidae, except Indopacetus and Ziphirostrum, in the premaxillary foramen positioned distinctly anterior to the level of the antorbital notch. It shares with the Hyperoodontinae, and Tasmacetus an anteromedian depression of the dorsal surface of the nasals and a strong constriction of the ascending process of the premaxilla. It differs from Hyperoodontinae in lesser dorsomedial reabsorbing of the nasals. It differs from Tasmacetus in: smaller size; less pointed rostrum with narrower rostrum base; mesorostral groove filled with vomer and a shallower alveolar groove. It further differs from Xhosacetus n. gen. in the lower maxillary crest. It differs from Ninoziphius in: elevated and narrow rostrum; mesorostral groove filled with ossified vomer and reduction of the maxillary alveoli.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION (FIGS 26; 27; 29A, B; TABLE 5) None of the three known specimens includes the apex of the rostrum; several centimetres are probably missing in the holotype and SAM PQ 69684.</p> <p>The rostrum is moderately elongated, slightly higher than wide with lateral margins parallel for most of its length. The mesorostral groove is completely filled by the vomer. A distinct median suture is visible on the vomer for the first centimetres of the rostrum base, indicating a posterior development of the bone by thickening of the lateral walls until their median contact. A shallow alveolar groove is still present without alveoli marks. The acute ventral margin of the alveolar groove extends until the antorbital notch where it ventrally limits a small basin.</p> <p>The premaxillary foramen is located distinctly anterior to the antorbital notch, which indicates an elongated premaxillary sac fossa, a character also present in Indopacetus. An even more anterior position of the premaxillary foramen is seen for example in Ziphius cavirostris and Ziphirostrum marginatum, but associated with a deep prenarial basin. A large circular maxillary foramen opens anterodorsally just medial to the antorbital notch. The notch is widely open and deep, because of the strong development of the preorbital process, which forms a peculiar anterolateral extension of the cranium. In anterior view, the frontal is visible in the preorbital process between maxilla and lacrimal.</p> <p>In anterior view, the ascending process of the premaxilla is strongly constricted ventral to the vertical, thick and wide, transversely directed premaxillary crest.</p> <p>On the moderately elevated vertex, the nasals are wide and pentagon-shaped. Their anterolateral corner extends only a short distance into the premaxillary crest. A vertical groove excavates the anterior margin of each nasal. The right nasal is longer posteriorly than the left. The dorsal surface of the nasals is slightly depressed anteromedially, similar to Tasmacetus. Posteriorly, the frontals are narrower than the nasals with a minimum length of 21 mm. On the vertex, the frontal is contacted by the long posterior projection of the premaxilla.</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C15CFF81FF287638FF52008B	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C15AFF83FF3C745DFE0D03CD.text	550B87C3C15AFF83FF3C745DFE0D03CD.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Pterocetus benguelae Bianucci & Lambert & Post 2007	<div><p>Pterocetus aff. benguelae</p> <p>REFERRED SPECIMENS. — SAM PQ 1770, partial skull including the rostrum and most of the dorsal surface of the cranium with vertex, trawled 6.4 km west of Slang-</p> <p>kop, Atlantic Ocean, depth of 274 m; SAM PQ 2751, rostrum, trawled off the South African coast.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION AND DISCUSSION</p> <p>(FIGS 28; 29C, D; TABLE 5)</p> <p>The general shape and the anterior position of the premaxillary foramen cause us to refer the two specimens to Pterocetus n. gen. Moreover, SAM PQ 1770 shows the deep and wide antorbital notch characteristic for Pterocetus n. gen. Nevertheless, both specimens differ from those referred above to Pterocetus benguelae n. gen., n. sp. in their lower rostrum with an anteriorly flatter ventral surface. This difference in robustness might correspond to an intraspecific sexual dimorphism, as observed in the extant Mesoplodon densirostris, whose rostrum is considerably more robust in the males than in the females (Fig. 30).</p> <p>mesethmoid bony nares</p> <p>FIG. 28. — Skull of Pterocetus aff. benguelae (SAM PQ 1770): A, dorsal view; B, anterior view; C, lateral view; D, detail of the vertex in dorsal view; E, corresponding line drawing. Scale bars: A-C, 10 cm; D, E, 5 cm.</p> <p>However, in this case the difference in robustness of the rostrum is reinforced by the strong mesorostral ossification of the vomer, mostly present in the adult male, while both the robust and slender fossil rostra described above exhibit a complete mesorostral ossification. Other small differences are observed between SAM PQ 1770 and the holotype of Pterocetus benguelae n. gen., n. sp. at the level of the vertex: the nasals are narrower, the bony nares are smaller, the premaxillary crest seems laterally less developed, and the constriction of the ascending process is almost absent. Considering these differences, referral of SAM PQ 1770 and SAM PQ 2751 to Pterocetus aff. benguelae seems justified.</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C15AFF83FF3C745DFE0D03CD	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
550B87C3C158FF8DFC8A77FAFCCC04A1.text	550B87C3C158FF8DFC8A77FAFCCC04A1.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Odontoceti Flower 1867	<div><p>Odontoceti indet.</p> <p>REFERRED SPECIMENS. — SAM PQ 2717, isolated rostrum, trawled off Saldanha Bay, west coast of South Africa, Atlantic Ocean, depth of 366 m; SAM PQ 2719, isolated rostrum, trawled off the South African coast.</p> <p>DESCRIPTION AND DISCUSSION (FIGS 31; 32)</p> <p>The isolated rostra SAM PQ 2717 and SAM PQ 2719, preserved for a length of respectively 519</p> <p>A premaxilla maxilla thickened vomer</p> <p>and 547 mm, are characterized by a very unusual structure.</p> <p>The premaxilla is weakly modified compared to the general odontocete plan. It occupies the margins of the mesorostral groove in dorsal view and the upturned apex of the rostrum, ventrally appearing on the first third of the rostrum. At the apex of the maxilla, the rostrum has a width of respectively 60 and 45 mm for SAM PQ 2717 and SAM PQ 2719 and a height of respectively 56 and 44 mm. The mesorostral groove is partially filled by the thickened lateral walls of the vomer, leaving an open median V-shaped groove. The development of the vomer in the mesorostral groove combined with high-density bone tissue is mostly observed in ziphiids (see above). Ventrally, the exposure of the vomer is respectively 290 and 240 mm.</p> <p>The maxilla is highly modified; the lateral margin is considerably elevated laterodorsally along the posterior two thirds of the rostrum. This lateral maxillary crest is robust at its base, progressively thinning dorsally. The maximum height of the crest is mid-way along the rostrum.The two crests anteriorly delimit a wide and deep basin, ending at some distance before the apex of the maxilla. The inner wall of the crest is striated with vascularization sulci, best seen in SAM PQ 2717. On this specimen, the outer wall of the crest, continuous with the wide ventral surface of the rostrum, bears a shallow alveolar groove punctuated by a series of rounded protuberances interpreted as unerupted teeth. No alveolar groove is observed in SAM PQ 2719. The basin is considerably larger in SAM PQ 2717 (maximum width and height of the rostrum respectively 230 and 201 mm), a difference that might correspond to sexual dimorphism, as seen in Physeter macrocephalus for the supracranial basin, in Ziphius cavirostris for the prenarial basin, and in Hyperoodon spp. for the maxillary crests.</p> <p>Similarities with Hyperoodon spp. at the level of the maxillary crests are functionally rejected: the high maxillary crests of the latter do not form a basin. If the prenarial basin of Z. cavirostris is differently built, the supracranial basin of the physeterids bearing the spermaceti organ is relatively similar, especially in P. macrocephalus. Significant thickening of the vomer has not been described in physeterids until now and we therefore may not refer with certainty these relatively small specimens to the Physeteridae. On the other hand, their maxilla differs significantly from the known ziphiids. Future information about the bony nares and additional cranial characters would be crucial to solve the familial affinities of this strange whale.</p> </div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/550B87C3C158FF8DFC8A77FAFCCC04A1	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		Plazi	Bianucci, Giovanni;Lambert, Olivier;Post, Klaas	Bianucci, Giovanni, Lambert, Olivier, Post, Klaas (2007): A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa. Geodiversitas 29 (4): 561-618, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4651080
