Semirostrum_ceruttii

<i>Semirostrum</i>

Semirostrum

Extinct genus of porpoises

Semirostrum ceruttii is an extinct porpoise that lived between 5 and 1.5 million years ago (Ma), during the Pliocene epoch. The species is highly distinctive due to the extremely long symphysis on the lower jaw, reaching lengths of 85 centimeters (33.46 inches), while that of a modern porpoise is 1–2 centimeters (0.39–0.79 inches) long. The main hypothesis regarding its use is that it probed along the sediment in the murky estuaries and shores of what is now California in search of food, which would easily be scooped up the symphysis and into the jaws. The etymology of the name means "half beak", referring to the upper jaw being half the length of the lower.[1]

S. ceruttii restoration

Quick Facts Scientific classification, Type species ...

References

  1. [1]
    Racicot, R.A.; Deméré, T.A.; Beatty, B.L. & Boessenecker, R.W. (2014). "Unique Feeding Morphology in a New Prognathous Extinct Porpoise from the Pliocene of California". Current Biology. 24 (7): 774–779. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2014.02.031. PMID 24631245. S2CID 16335906.
Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Semirostrum_ceruttii, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.