Inermorostrum
Inermorostrum is a genus of primitive odontocete from early Oligocene (Rupelian) marine deposits in South Carolina belonging to the family Xenorophidae.
| Inermorostrum | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Infraorder: | Cetacea |
| Family: | †Xenorophidae |
| Genus: | †Inermorostrum Boessenecker et al., 2017 |
| Type species | |
| Inermorostrum xenops Boessenecker et al., 2017 | |
Description and biology
Inermorostrum is largely distinguished from other xenorophiids in having a greatly reduced rostrum devoid of functional teeth. The short, toothless rostrum is unusual for early odontocetes, showing that Inermorostrum mostly preyed on squids and other marine invertebrates by means of suction-feeding.[1]
References
- Robert W. Boessenecker, Danielle Fraser, Morgan Churchill and Jonathan H. Geisler. 2017. A Toothless Dwarf Dolphin (Odontoceti: Xenorophidae) Points to Explosive Feeding Diversification of Modern Whales (Neoceti). Proceedings of the Royal Society B. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0531
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