Idiophyseter merriami is an extinct macroraptorial sperm whale from the Miocene and the only species of the genus Idiophyseter, which was named by R. Kellogg in 1925 and has a Middle Miocene fossil range. Its fossils have been found at Templeton, California. It was small compared with the modern sperm whale genera, and its maxilla has single-rooted alveoli, meaning each tooth socket held a single root. It also lacked the ventral internal process that is present in the modern genus Physeter, which contains the living sperm whale.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) Living or Extinct Conservation Status Body Size Band Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record for Idiophyseter merriami
In Biome
Marine, Biomes Source Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record for Idiophyseter merriami
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Source Idiophyseter (Wikipedia)Lead, rangeQuote, Lead, range
Its fossils have been found in Templeton California.
Sources
1. Paleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record for Idiophyseter merriami
Paleobiology DatabaseTaxon record, extant status
"is_extant": "extinct"
Taxon record, environment
"taxon_environment": "marine,freshwater"
Taxon record, diet, carnivore
"diet": "piscivore, carnivore"
Taxon record, diet, piscivore
"diet": "piscivore, carnivore"
Child Taxon Of: Physeteridae, Taxon record, family
"family": "Physeteridae"
View the Source 2. Idiophyseter (Wikipedia)
Lead, range
Its fossils have been found in Templeton California.
Lead
Idiophyseter was small in size compared to modern genera
View the SourcePaleobiology Database: Paleobiology Database taxon record for Idiophyseter merriami
Paleobiology DatabaseIn Biome: Marine, Taxon record, habitatQuote, In Biome: Marine, Taxon record, habitat
"taxon_environment": "marine,freshwater"
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.