Orycterocetus
Encyclopedia
Orycterocetus is an extinct genus of sperm whale
from the Miocene
.
Sperm Whale
The sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus, is a marine mammal species, order Cetacea, a toothed whale having the largest brain of any animal. The name comes from the milky-white waxy substance, spermaceti, found in the animal's head. The sperm whale is the only living member of genus Physeter...
from the Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
.
Sources
- Cenozoic Seas: The View From Eastern North America by Edward J. Petuch
- Marine Mammals: Evolutionary Biology by Annalisa Berta and James L. Sumich