Dagonodum

Dagonodum is an extinct genus of ziphiid cetacean known from Tortonian age marine deposits in the Gram Formation in Denmark. There is only one known species, Dagonodum mojnum.[1]

Dagonodum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Ziphiidae
Genus: †Dagonodum
Ramassamy, 2016
Species
  • Dagonodum mojnum Ramassamy, 2016 (type)

Etymology

The genus name is a reference to the Canaanite fish-god Dagon, best known from H.P. Lovecraft's short story, where it is depicted as deep-sea deity. The species name is a reference to the word for "goodbye" in the local South Jutlandic dialect where the fossils were found. The word, "mojn", is of German origin, where it is used as both a greeting and a farewell.[1]

Taxonomy

The species is distinguished by its two pairs of mandibular tusks and long snout. It also possessed a long neck, leading to speculation that it wasn't well suited to deep-dives.[1]

Feeding

The species is notable for its difference from other ziphiidae of the period in that it seems to be less reliant on suction feeding.[2]

References
  1. "Dagonodum mojnum". www.gbif.org.
  2. Ramassamy, Benjamin; Lauridsen, Henrik (2019). "A new specimen of Ziphiidae (Cetacea, Odontoceti) from the late Miocene of Denmark with morphological evidence for suction feeding behaviour". Royal Society Open Science. 6 (10): 191347. doi:10.1098/rsos.191347. PMC 6837206. PMID 31824732.
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