A link no longer missing: new evidence for the Cetotheriid affinities of Caperea
The origins of the enigmatic pygmy right whale Caperea marginata , the only living member of its subfamily (Neobalaeninae), are an outstanding mystery of cetacean evolution. Its strikingly disparate morphology sets Caperea apart from all other whales, and has turned it into a wildcard taxon that hol...
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ftvliz:oai:oma.vliz.be:285432 2023-05-15T15:36:56+02:00 A link no longer missing: new evidence for the Cetotheriid affinities of Caperea Marx, F.G. Fordyce, R.E. 2016 application/pdf https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/302523.pdf en eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/000385697600071 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164059 https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/302523.pdf info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess %3Ci%3EPLoS+One+11%2810%29%3C%2Fi%3E%3A+e0164059.+%3Ca+href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0164059%22+target%3D%22_blank%22%3Ehttps%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0164059%3C%2Fa%3E info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2016 ftvliz https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164059 2022-05-01T10:49:54Z The origins of the enigmatic pygmy right whale Caperea marginata , the only living member of its subfamily (Neobalaeninae), are an outstanding mystery of cetacean evolution. Its strikingly disparate morphology sets Caperea apart from all other whales, and has turned it into a wildcard taxon that holds the key to understanding modern baleen whale diversity. Morphological cladistics generally ally this species with right whales, whereas molecular analyses consistently cluster it with rorquals and grey whales (Balaenopteroidea). A recent study potentially resolved this conflict by proposing that Caperea belongs with the otherwise extinct Cetotheriidae, but has been strongly criticised on morphological grounds. Evidence from the neobalaenine fossil record could potentially give direct insights into morphological transitions, but is currently limited to just a single species: the Late Miocene Miocaperea pulchra , from Peru. We show that Miocaperea has a highly unusual morphology of the auditory region, resulting from a–presumably feeding-related–strengthening of the articulation of the hyoid apparatus with the skull. This distinctive arrangement is otherwise only found in the extinct Cetotheriidae, which makes Miocaperea a “missing link” that demonstrates the origin of pygmy right whales from cetotheriids, and confirms the latter’s resurrection from the dead. Article in Journal/Newspaper baleen whale Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ): Open Marine Archive (OMA) PLOS ONE 11 10 e0164059 |
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Open Polar |
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Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ): Open Marine Archive (OMA) |
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ftvliz |
language |
English |
description |
The origins of the enigmatic pygmy right whale Caperea marginata , the only living member of its subfamily (Neobalaeninae), are an outstanding mystery of cetacean evolution. Its strikingly disparate morphology sets Caperea apart from all other whales, and has turned it into a wildcard taxon that holds the key to understanding modern baleen whale diversity. Morphological cladistics generally ally this species with right whales, whereas molecular analyses consistently cluster it with rorquals and grey whales (Balaenopteroidea). A recent study potentially resolved this conflict by proposing that Caperea belongs with the otherwise extinct Cetotheriidae, but has been strongly criticised on morphological grounds. Evidence from the neobalaenine fossil record could potentially give direct insights into morphological transitions, but is currently limited to just a single species: the Late Miocene Miocaperea pulchra , from Peru. We show that Miocaperea has a highly unusual morphology of the auditory region, resulting from a–presumably feeding-related–strengthening of the articulation of the hyoid apparatus with the skull. This distinctive arrangement is otherwise only found in the extinct Cetotheriidae, which makes Miocaperea a “missing link” that demonstrates the origin of pygmy right whales from cetotheriids, and confirms the latter’s resurrection from the dead. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Marx, F.G. Fordyce, R.E. |
spellingShingle |
Marx, F.G. Fordyce, R.E. A link no longer missing: new evidence for the Cetotheriid affinities of Caperea |
author_facet |
Marx, F.G. Fordyce, R.E. |
author_sort |
Marx, F.G. |
title |
A link no longer missing: new evidence for the Cetotheriid affinities of Caperea |
title_short |
A link no longer missing: new evidence for the Cetotheriid affinities of Caperea |
title_full |
A link no longer missing: new evidence for the Cetotheriid affinities of Caperea |
title_fullStr |
A link no longer missing: new evidence for the Cetotheriid affinities of Caperea |
title_full_unstemmed |
A link no longer missing: new evidence for the Cetotheriid affinities of Caperea |
title_sort |
link no longer missing: new evidence for the cetotheriid affinities of caperea |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/302523.pdf |
genre |
baleen whale |
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baleen whale |
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op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/000385697600071 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164059 https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/302523.pdf |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164059 |
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PLOS ONE |
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11 |
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10 |
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e0164059 |
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