The giant bite of a new raptorial sperm whale from the Miocene epoch of Peru
The modern giant sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus, one of the largest known predators, preys upon cephalopods at great depths. Lacking a functional upper dentition, it relies on suction for catching its prey3; in contrast, several smaller Miocene sperm whales (Physeteroidea) have been interpreted...
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ftunivpisairis:oai:arpi.unipi.it:11568/139041 2024-01-28T10:04:44+01:00 The giant bite of a new raptorial sperm whale from the Miocene epoch of Peru Lambert O. BIANUCCI, GIOVANNI Post K. De Muizon C. Salas Gismondi R. Urbina M. Reumer J. Lambert, O. Bianucci, Giovanni Post, K. De Muizon, C. Salas Gismondi, R. Urbina, M. Reumer, J. 2010 STAMPA http://hdl.handle.net/11568/139041 https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09067 https://www.nature.com/articles/nature09067.pdf eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/000281203600046 volume:466 issue:7302 firstpage:105 lastpage:108 numberofpages:4 journal:NATURE http://hdl.handle.net/11568/139041 doi:10.1038/nature09067 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-77954228178 https://www.nature.com/articles/nature09067.pdf info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess cetacea Physeteroidea Miocene Feeding Peru info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2010 ftunivpisairis https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09067 2024-01-03T17:49:39Z The modern giant sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus, one of the largest known predators, preys upon cephalopods at great depths. Lacking a functional upper dentition, it relies on suction for catching its prey3; in contrast, several smaller Miocene sperm whales (Physeteroidea) have been interpreted as raptorial (versus suction) feeders4,5, analogous to the modern killer whale Orcinus orca. Whereas very large physeteroid teeth have been discovered in various Miocene localities, associated diagnostic cranial remains have not been found so far. Here we report the discovery of a new giant sperm whale from the Middle Miocene of Peru (approximately 12–13 million years ago), Leviathan melvillei, described on the basis of a skull with teeth and mandible. With a 3-m-long head, very large upper and lower teeth (maximum diameter and length of 12 cm and greater than 36 cm, respectively), robust jaws and a temporal fossa considerably larger than in Physeter, this stem physeteroid represents one of the largest raptorial predators and, to our knowledge, the biggest tetrapod bite ever found. The appearance of gigantic raptorial sperm whales in the fossil record coincides with a phase of diversification and size-range increase of the baleen-bearing mysticetes in the Miocene. We propose that Leviathan fed mostly on high-energy content medium-size baleen whales. As a top predator, together with the contemporaneous giant shark Carcharocles megalodon, it probably had a profound impact on the structuring of Miocene marine communities. The development of a vast supracranial basin in Leviathan, extending on the rostrum as in Physeter, might indicate the presence of an enlarged spermaceti organ in the former that is not associated with deep diving or obligatory suction feeding. Article in Journal/Newspaper baleen whales Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale Killer whale ARPI - Archivio della Ricerca dell'Università di Pisa Fossa ENVELOPE(9.795,9.795,62.990,62.990) Nature 466 7302 105 108 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
ARPI - Archivio della Ricerca dell'Università di Pisa |
op_collection_id |
ftunivpisairis |
language |
English |
topic |
cetacea Physeteroidea Miocene Feeding Peru |
spellingShingle |
cetacea Physeteroidea Miocene Feeding Peru Lambert O. BIANUCCI, GIOVANNI Post K. De Muizon C. Salas Gismondi R. Urbina M. Reumer J. The giant bite of a new raptorial sperm whale from the Miocene epoch of Peru |
topic_facet |
cetacea Physeteroidea Miocene Feeding Peru |
description |
The modern giant sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus, one of the largest known predators, preys upon cephalopods at great depths. Lacking a functional upper dentition, it relies on suction for catching its prey3; in contrast, several smaller Miocene sperm whales (Physeteroidea) have been interpreted as raptorial (versus suction) feeders4,5, analogous to the modern killer whale Orcinus orca. Whereas very large physeteroid teeth have been discovered in various Miocene localities, associated diagnostic cranial remains have not been found so far. Here we report the discovery of a new giant sperm whale from the Middle Miocene of Peru (approximately 12–13 million years ago), Leviathan melvillei, described on the basis of a skull with teeth and mandible. With a 3-m-long head, very large upper and lower teeth (maximum diameter and length of 12 cm and greater than 36 cm, respectively), robust jaws and a temporal fossa considerably larger than in Physeter, this stem physeteroid represents one of the largest raptorial predators and, to our knowledge, the biggest tetrapod bite ever found. The appearance of gigantic raptorial sperm whales in the fossil record coincides with a phase of diversification and size-range increase of the baleen-bearing mysticetes in the Miocene. We propose that Leviathan fed mostly on high-energy content medium-size baleen whales. As a top predator, together with the contemporaneous giant shark Carcharocles megalodon, it probably had a profound impact on the structuring of Miocene marine communities. The development of a vast supracranial basin in Leviathan, extending on the rostrum as in Physeter, might indicate the presence of an enlarged spermaceti organ in the former that is not associated with deep diving or obligatory suction feeding. |
author2 |
Lambert, O. Bianucci, Giovanni Post, K. De Muizon, C. Salas Gismondi, R. Urbina, M. Reumer, J. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lambert O. BIANUCCI, GIOVANNI Post K. De Muizon C. Salas Gismondi R. Urbina M. Reumer J. |
author_facet |
Lambert O. BIANUCCI, GIOVANNI Post K. De Muizon C. Salas Gismondi R. Urbina M. Reumer J. |
author_sort |
Lambert O. |
title |
The giant bite of a new raptorial sperm whale from the Miocene epoch of Peru |
title_short |
The giant bite of a new raptorial sperm whale from the Miocene epoch of Peru |
title_full |
The giant bite of a new raptorial sperm whale from the Miocene epoch of Peru |
title_fullStr |
The giant bite of a new raptorial sperm whale from the Miocene epoch of Peru |
title_full_unstemmed |
The giant bite of a new raptorial sperm whale from the Miocene epoch of Peru |
title_sort |
giant bite of a new raptorial sperm whale from the miocene epoch of peru |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11568/139041 https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09067 https://www.nature.com/articles/nature09067.pdf |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(9.795,9.795,62.990,62.990) |
geographic |
Fossa |
geographic_facet |
Fossa |
genre |
baleen whales Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale Killer whale |
genre_facet |
baleen whales Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale Killer whale |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/000281203600046 volume:466 issue:7302 firstpage:105 lastpage:108 numberofpages:4 journal:NATURE http://hdl.handle.net/11568/139041 doi:10.1038/nature09067 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-77954228178 https://www.nature.com/articles/nature09067.pdf |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09067 |
container_title |
Nature |
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466 |
container_issue |
7302 |
container_start_page |
105 |
op_container_end_page |
108 |
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1789330561876099072 |