Zygophyseter

Zygophyseter varolai

Resurrected on:

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Genus information

Zygophyseter is a primitive Sperm Whale that lived during the Miocene epoch of Europe. It belonged to a group called macroraptorial sperm whales, which were highly predatory whales that hunted, mainly, other marine mammals. Zygophyseter had a large beak with many conical-shaped teeth and was able to use echolocation to search for prey. Also, it was probably able to swim faster than a modern day Sperm Whale and it may have used the same tactics as modern day Killer Whales for hunting.

Family:

Distribution:

Epoch:

Physeteroidea

Europe

Miocene

Species information

Zygophyseter varolai is the only species within the genus of Zygophyseter and fossils have been found in Italy. Just a single specimen was found, but it was an almost complete skeleton. The species could grow up to 7 meters in length and weighted about 2.000 kg!

Species:

Paleontologist:

Distribution:

Epoch:

Zygophyseter varolai

Bianucci & Landini, 2006

Europe

Miocene

Length:

Height:

Weight:

7.0 m

n/a

2.000 kg

Reference:

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