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Ziphiidae (beaked whale)

Mammalia - Cetacea - Ziphiidae

Taxonomy
Ziphiidae was named by Gray (1850) [Gray (1850) originally named the subtribe Ziphiina.]. It is extant. It was considered monophyletic by Berta et al. (2006) and Uhen et al. (2008).

It was reranked as the tribe Ziphiina by Gray (1864), Gray (1865), Flower (1867), Gill (1872), Lydekker (1887), Cope (1895), Trouessart (1898), Abel (1905), True (1908), Abel (1919), Miller (1923), Dal Piaz (1929), Hay (1930), Simpson (1945), Fraser and Purves (1960), Kasuya (1973), Ginsburg and Janvier (1975), Muizon (1984), Barnes et al. (1985), Carroll (1988), Muizon (1990), Nowak (1991), Fordyce and Barnes (1994), Bianucci et al. (1994), Morgan (1994), Fordyce et al. (1995), McKenna and Bell (1997), Rice (1998), Fordyce and de Muizon (2001), Geisler and Sanders (2003), Lambert (2005), Berta et al. (2006) and Lambert and Louwye (2006); it was reranked as the tribe Ziphiini by Moore (1968), Muizon (1990) and Bianucci et al. (1994).

It was assigned to Delphinidae by Gray (1864); to Ziphioidea by Gray (1871); to Denticete by Gill (1871) and Gill (1872); to Denticete by Gray (1866) and Gill (1873); to Odontoceta by Ameghino (1889); to Odontocete by Hay (1930); to Squaloceti by Abel (1914), Abel (1919), Portis (1925), Dal Piaz (1929) and Van Deinse (1931); to Hyperoodontidae by Moore (1968); to Cetacea by Nowak (1991); to Ziphiinae by Muizon (1990) and Bianucci et al. (1994); to Physeteridae by Lydekker (1887), Trouessart (1898), Winge (1921) and McKenna and Bell (1997); to Mysticeti by Bergqvist et al. (1999); to Delphinoidea by Gray (1865) and Norman and Mead (2001); to Physeteroidea by Simpson (1945), Ginsburg and Janvier (1975), Muizon (1984) and Geisler and Sanders (2003); to Ziphioidea by Gray (1868), Cope (1895), Ellerman and Morrisson-Scott (1951), Fraser and Purves (1960), Kasuya (1973), Barnes et al. (1985), Muizon (1990), Vidal (1991), Fordyce and Barnes (1994), Bianucci et al. (1994), Fordyce et al. (1995), Rice (1998), Fordyce and de Muizon (2001), Rice (2002), Gingerich (2005), Berta et al. (2006), Bianucci and Landini (2007), Foekens (2008), Whitmore and Kaltenbach (2008), Uhen et al. (2008) and Rice (2009); to Eurhinodelphinoidea by Bianucci et al. (2011); to Odontoceti by Slijper (1936), Agnarsson and May-Collado (2008) and Bianucci et al. (2016); to Synrhina by Geisler et al. (2011), Marx et al. (2016) and Berta (2017); to Odontoceti by Flower (1867), Abel (1905), True (1908), Miller (1923), Kellogg (1928), Scheffer and Rice (1963), Pilleri (1985), Loughlin and Perez (1985), Carroll (1988), Benton (1993), Morgan (1994), Bianucci (1997), Mead and Brownell (2005), Lambert (2005), Lambert and Louwye (2006), Bianucci et al. (2007), Bianucci et al. (2010), Bianucci et al. (2016), Lambert et al. (2018), Ramassamy et al. (2018), Lambert et al. (2023) and Godfrey and Lambert (2023); and to Stegoceti by Boessenecker and Geisler (2023).

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1824Ziphius longirostris Cuvier p. 357 figs. pl. 27, figs. 9-10
1832Ziphius longirostris Meyer p. 100
1846Hyperoodontina Gray p. Del
1849Hyperoodontina Bonaparte p. 618
1850Hyperoodontina Bonaparte p. 1
1850Ziphiidae Gray p. 241
1851Mesodiodon longirostre Duvernoy p. 70
1859Dioplodon becanii Gervais p. 289
1859Dioplodon longirostris Gervais p. 289
1859Dioplodon becanii Gervais p. 290 figs. Plate XXXVIII
1860Dioplodon becanii Van Beneden
1864Hyperoodontina Gray p. 239
1864Ziphiina Gray p. 241
1864Belemnoziphius becanii Huxley p. 395
1864Belemnoziphius longirostris Huxley p. 395
1865Hyperoodontina Gray p. 528
1865Ziphiina Gray p. 529
1866Hyperoodontidae Gray p. 62
1866Ziphiidae Gray p. 325
1867Ziphiina Flower p. 115
1868Ziphiopsis servatus Du Bus
1868Ziphiopsis Du Bus p. 628
1868Ziphiopsis phymatodes Du Bus p. 628
1868Rhinostodes Du Bus p. 629
1868Rhinostodes antwerpiensis Du Bus p. 629
1868Hyperoodontidae Gray p. 9
1868Ziphiidae Gray p. 10
1870Ziphius angustus Owen p. 19 figs. Plate III, figs. 1 & 2
1870Ziphius angulatus Owen p. 20 figs. Pl. 4
1871Ziphiidae Gill p. 124
1871Hyperoodontidae Gray p. 96
1871Ziphiidae Gray p. 99
1872Rhinostodes Gill p. 96
1872Ziphiina Gill p. 96
1872Ziphiopsis Gill p. 96
1873Ziphiidae Gill p. 27
1873Hyperoodontidae Scott p. 105
1874Rhinostodes antwerpiensis Vanden Broeck p. 146
1874Ziphiopsis phymatodes Vanden Broeck p. 146
1874Ziphiopsis servatus Vanden Broeck p. 146
1874Ziphius longirostris Vanden Broeck p. 146
1874Synostodon Vanden Broeck p. 147
1876Eboroziphius Leidy p. 81
1876Eboroziphius coelops Leidy p. 81
1877Eboroziphius coelops Leidy p. 224
1880Ziphiopsis phymatodes Van Beneden and Gervais p. 416
1880Ziphiopsis servatus Van Beneden and Gervais p. 416
1880Dioplodon becanii Van Beneden and Gervais p. 420
1880Dioplodon longirostris Van Beneden and Gervais p. 420
1880Rhinostodes antwerpiensis Van Beneden and Gervais p. 420
1880Dioplodon angulatus Van Beneden and Gervais p. 422
1880Dioplodon angustus Van Beneden and Gervais p. 422
1885Dioplodon longirostris Capellini p. 294
1885Dioplodon senensis Capellini p. 298 figs. Plate 1, Fig. 13-16
1887Mesoplodon longirostris Lydekker p. 15
1887Ziphiina Lydekker p. 63
1887Mesoplodon longirostris Lydekker p. 68
1887Mesoplodon angustus Lydekker p. 72
1887Mesoplodon angulatus Lydekker p. 73
1889Ziphiidae Ameghino p. 887
1890Mesoplodon scaphoides Newton p. 450 figs. Pl. 18, Fig. 8
1891Dioplodon farnesinae Capellini p. 12 figs. Fig. 2-6
1891Mesoplodon longirostris Newton p. 72
1891Mesoplodon angulatus Newton p. 73
1891Mesoplodon angustus Newton p. 73
1891Mesoplodon scaphoides Newton p. 73
1894Rhinostodes lovisatoi Vigliarolo
1894Dioplodon longirostris Vigliarolo p. 10
1894Dioplodon becanii Vigliarolo p. 11
1894Dioplodon angulatus Vigliarolo p. 12
1894Dioplodon angustus Vigliarolo p. 12
1894Dioplodon senensis Vigliarolo p. 15
1894Dioplodon farnesinae Vigliarolo p. 16
1894Rhinostodes antverpiensis Vigliarolo p. 173
1895Choneziphiidae Cope p. 137
1895Pelycorhamphus Cope pp. 137-139
1895Pelycorhamphus pertortus Cope p. 137
1895Ziphiina Cope p. 137
1898Pelycorhamphus Trouessart p. 1057
1898Pelycorhamphus pertortus Trouessart p. 1057
1898Ziphiina Trouessart p. 1057
1898Choneziphius coelops Trouessart p. 1060
1898Ziphiopsis Trouessart p. 1061
1898Ziphiopsis phymatodes Trouessart p. 1061
1898Ziphiopsis servatus Trouessart p. 1061
1898Mesoplodon longirostris Trouessart p. 1063
1898Mesoplodon angulatus Trouessart p. 1064
1898Mesoplodon angustus Trouessart p. 1064
1898Mesoplodon antwerpiensis Trouessart p. 1064
1898Mesoplodon becanii Trouessart p. 1065
1898Mesoplodon farnesinae Trouessart p. 1065
1898Mesoplodon senensis Trouessart p. 1065
1898Mesoplodon scaphoides Trouessart p. 1066
1902Choneziphius coelops Hay p. 596
1902Pelycorhamphus Hay p. 597
1902Pelycorhamphus pertortus Hay p. 597
1904Eboroziphius Palmer p. 248
1904Pelycorhamphus Palmer p. 521
1904Ziphiopsis Palmer p. 715
1904Pelycorhamphus Trouessart p. 775
1904Pelycorhamphus pertortus Trouessart p. 775
1904Choneziphius coelops Trouessart p. 776
1904Ziphiopsis Trouessart p. 776
1904Ziphiopsis phymatodes Trouessart p. 776
1904Ziphiopsis servatus Trouessart p. 776
1904Mesoplodon angulatus Trouessart p. 777
1904Mesoplodon angustus Trouessart p. 777
1904Mesoplodon becani Trouessart p. 777
1904Mesoplodon farnesinae Trouessart p. 777
1904Mesoplodon longirostris Trouessart p. 777
1904Mesoplodon senensis Trouessart p. 777
1904Mesoplodon scaphoides Trouessart p. 778
1904Rhinostodes Trouessart p. 778
1904Rhinostodes antwerpiensis Trouessart p. 778
1904Rhinostodes lovisatoi Trouessart p. 778
1905Ziphiina Abel p. 88
1905Mesoplodon longirostris Abel p. 112
1908Ziphiina True p. 391
1911Dioplodon longirostris Capellini p. 114
1911Dioplodon farnesinae Capellini p. 115
1911Dioplodon senensis Capellini p. 115
1914Ziphiidae Abel p. 221
1916Dioplodon taramellii Pelizzola p. 154 figs. Fig. 1-2
1919Ziphiina Abel p. 767
1921Xiphiini Winge p. 8
1923Ziphiina Miller p. 40
1925Dioplodon farnesinae Portis p. 14
1925Ziphiidae Portis p. 14
1928Ziphiidae Kellogg p. 32 figs. Table 1
1928Eboroziphius Kellogg p. 33 figs. Table 1
1928Pelycorhamphus Kellogg p. 33 figs. Table 1
1929Ziphiina Dal Piaz p. 82
1930Ziphiina Hay p. 582
1930Eboroziphius Hay p. 583
1930Eboroziphius coelops Hay p. 583
1930Pelycorhamphus Hay p. 583
1930Pelycorhamphus pertortus Hay p. 584
1930Mesoplodon longirostris Hay p. 585
1931Ziphiidae Van Deinse p. 33
1936Ziphiidae Slijper p. 549
1945Eboroziphius Simpson p. 101
1945Ziphiina Simpson p. 101
1951Ziphiidae Ellerman and Morrisson-Scott p. 723
1960Ziphiina Fraser and Purves p. 112 figs. Figure 26
1963Ziphiidae Scheffer and Rice p. 8
1968Ziphiini Moore p. 238
1968Hyperoodontidae Moore p. 276
1968Hyperoodontini Moore p. 276
1973Ziphiina Kasuya p. 61
1975Ziphiina Ginsburg and Janvier p. 82
1975Eboroziphius Mead p. 750 figs. Table 1
1975Pelycorhamphus Mead p. 750 figs. Table 1
1982Mesoplodon farnesinae Pilleri and Pilleri
1982Mesoplodon (Dioplodon) longirostris Pilleri and Pilleri p. 308
1982Mesoplodon (Dioplodon) senensis Pilleri and Pilleri p. 311
1984Ziphiina Muizon p. 135
1985Ziphiina Barnes et al. p. 26
1985Ziphiidae Loughlin and Perez p. 1
1985Ziphiidae Pilleri p. 30
1987Mesoplodon longirostris Pilleri p. 86
1987Mesoplodon senensis Pilleri p. 88
1988Eboroziphius Carroll
1988Ziphiina Carroll
1989Mesoplodon longirostris Mead p. 363
1990Ziphiini Muizon
1990Ziphiina Muizon p. 294
1991Mesoplodon longirostris Fordyce p. 1180
1991Ziphiina Nowak
1991Ziphiidae Vidal p. 5
1992Mesoplodon tumidirostris Miyazaki and Hasegawa p. 168
1993Ziphiidae Benton p. 379
1994Ziphiina Bianucci et al. p. 232
1994Ziphiini Bianucci et al. p. 238
1994Ziphiina Fordyce and Barnes p. 428 figs. Table 1
1994Ziphiina Morgan p. 254
1995Ziphiina Fordyce et al. p. 379
1997Ziphiidae Bianucci p. 61
1997Mesoplodon longirostris Bianucci p. 171
1997Hyperoodontidae McKenna and Bell p. 381
1997Pelycorhamphus McKenna and Bell p. 381
1997Ziphiina McKenna and Bell p. 381
1997Eboroziphius McKenna and Bell p. 382
1998Ziphiina Rice p. 86
1999Ziphiidae Bergqvist et al. p. 31
2001Ziphiina Fordyce and de Muizon p. 179
2001Ziphiidae Norman and Mead p. 1
2002Mesoplodon longirostris Bianucci and Landini p. 22
2002Ziphiidae Rice p. 231 figs. Table 1
2002Eboroziphius Sepkoski
2003Ziphiina Geisler and Sanders p. 29
2005Ziphiidae Gingerich p. 237 figs. Table 15.1
2005Ziphiina Lambert p. 445
2005Eboroziphius Lambert p. 446
2005Pelycorhamphus Lambert p. 446
2005Pelycorhamphus pertortus Lambert p. 482
2005Ziphiidae Mead and Brownell p. 739
2006Ziphiina Berta et al. p. 501
2006Ziphiina Lambert and Louwye p. 182
2007Ziphiidae Bianucci et al. p. 565
2007Ziphiidae Bianucci and Landini p. 45 figs. Table 2.1
2008Ziphiidae Agnarsson and May-Collado p. 981 figs. Fig. 4.3
2008Ziphiidae Foekens p. 7 figs. Table 1
2008Ziphiidae Uhen et al. p. 578
2008Eboroziphius Uhen et al. p. 579
2008Eboroziphius coelops Uhen et al. p. 579
2008Mesoplodon longirostris Uhen et al. p. 579
2008Pelycorhamphus Uhen et al. p. 579
2008Pelycorhamphus pertortus Uhen et al. p. 579
2008Ziphiidae Whitmore and Kaltenbach p. 194
2008Mesoplodon longirostris Whitmore and Kaltenbach p. 213 fig. 40
2009Ziphiidae Rice p. 235 figs. Table 1
2010Ziphiidae Bianucci et al. p. 1080
2011Ziphiidae Bianucci et al. p. 567
2011Ziphiidae Geisler et al. p. 29 figs. Figure 5
2014Mesoplodon longirostris Damarco p. 27
2014Mesoplodon longirostris Manganelli and Benocci p. 107
2014Rhinostodes Pillola and Zoboli p. 126
2014Rhinostodes lovisatoi Pillola and Zoboli p. 126
2016Ziphiidae Bianucci et al. p. 65
2016Ziphiidae Bianucci et al.
2016Ziphiidae Marx et al. p. 129
2017Ziphiidae Berta p. 161
2017Eboroziphius Berta p. 162
2018Ziphiidae Lambert et al. p. 138
2018Ziphiidae Ramassamy et al. p. 14
2023Ziphiidae Boessenecker and Geisler p. 152
2023Ziphiidae Godfrey and Lambert p. 68
2023Ziphiidae Lambert et al. p. 118

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
subclassSynapsida
—Therapsida()
infraorderCynodontia()
—Mammaliamorpha
—Mammaliaformes
RankNameAuthor
classMammalia
—Cladotheria
—Zatheria
subclassTribosphenida()
subclassTheria
—Eutheria()
—Placentalia
—Boreoeutheria
—Laurasiatheria
—Scrotifera
—Euungulata
—Artiodactylamorpha
—Artiodactyla()
—Whippomorpha
orderCetacea
—Pelagiceti
—Neoceti
suborderOdontoceti
—Amblyoccipita
—Stegoceti
familyZiphiidae
familyZiphiidae

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Fm. Ziphiidae Gray 1850 [beaked whale]
show all | hide all
G. †Anoplonassa Cope 1869
+
†Anoplonassa forcipata Cope 1869
G. †Belemnoziphius Huxley 1864
+
†Belemnoziphius prorops Leidy 1876
Subfm. Berardiinae Moore 1968
+
G. †Archaeoziphius Lambert and Louwye 2006
+
†Archaeoziphius microglenoideus Lambert and Louwye 2006
G. Berardius Duvernoy 1851
+
Berardius arnuxii Duvernoy 1851 [Arnoux's beaked whale]
Berardius bairdii Stejneger 1883
†Berardius kobayashii Kawatani and Kohno 2021
Berardius minimus Yamada et al. 2019 [kurotsuchikujira]
G. †Microberardius Bianucci et al. 2007
+
†Microberardius africanus Bianucci et al. 2007
G. †Caviziphius Bianucci and Post 2005
+
†Caviziphius altirostris Bianucci and Post 2005
G. †Chavinziphius Bianucci et al. 2016
+
†Chavinziphius maxillocristatus Bianucci et al. 2016
G. †Mamaziphius Bianucci et al. 2024
+
†Mamaziphius reyesi Bianucci et al. 2024
Unr. †Messapicetiformes Bianucci et al. 2024
+
G. †Aporotus Du Bus 1868
+
†Aporotus dicyrtus Du Bus 1868
†Aporotus recurvirostris Du Bus 1868
+
Invalid names: Aporotus affinis Du Bus 1868 [synonym]
G. †Beneziphius Lambert 2005
+
†Beneziphius brevirostris Lambert 2005
†Beneziphius cetariensis Miján et al. 2017
G. †Chimuziphius Bianucci et al. 2016
+
†Chimuziphius coloradensis Bianucci et al. 2016
G. †Choneziphius Duvernoy 1851
+
†Choneziphius chonops Leidy 1876
†Choneziphius leidyi Bianucci et al. 2013
†Choneziphius liops Leidy 1876
†Choneziphius macrops Leidy 1876
+
Invalid names: Choneziphius packardi Lankester 1870 [synonym], Ziphius cuvieri Owen 1870 [synonym], Ziphius planus Owen 1870 [synonym]
†Choneziphius trachops Leidy 1876
Invalid names: Proroziphius Leidy 1876 [synonym]
G. †Dagonodum Ramassamy 2016
+
†Dagonodum mojnum Ramassamy 2016
G. †Globicetus Bianucci et al. 2013
+
†Globicetus hiberus Bianucci et al. 2013
G. †Imocetus Bianucci et al. 2013
+
†Imocetus piscatus Bianucci et al. 2013
G. †Messapicetus Bianucci et al. 1992
+
†Messapicetus gregarius Bianucci et al. 2010
†Messapicetus longirostris Bianucci et al. 1992
G. †Ninoziphius Muizon 1983
+
†Ninoziphius platyrostris Muizon 1983
G. †Notoziphius Buono and Cozzuol 2013
+
†Notoziphius bruneti Buono and Cozzuol 2013
G. †Tusciziphius Bianucci 1997
+
†Tusciziphius atlanticus Bianucci et al. 2013
†Tusciziphius crispus Bianucci 1997
G. †Ziphirostrum Du Bus 1868
+
†Ziphirostrum marginatum Du Bus 1868
+
Invalid names: Mioziphius belgicus Abel 1905 [synonym], Ziphirostrum gracile Du Bus 1868 [synonym], Ziphirostrum laevigatum Du Bus 1868 [synonym]
†Ziphirostrum recurvus Du Bus 1868
†Ziphirostrum turninense Du Bus 1868
Invalid names: Mioziphius Abel 1905 [synonym]
G. †Nazcacetus Lambert et al. 2009
+
†Nazcacetus urbinai Lambert et al. 2009
G. †Nenga Bianucci et al. 2007
+
†Nenga meganasalis Bianucci et al. 2007
G. Tasmacetus Oliver 1937
+
Tasmacetus shepherdi Oliver 1937 [Shepherd's beaked whale]
Unr. †Vomeroziphii Bianucci et al. 2024
+
Subfm. Hyperoodontinae Muizon 1990
+
G. †Africanacetus Bianucci et al. 2007
+
†Africanacetus ceratopsis Bianucci et al. 2007
†Africanacetus gracilis Ichishima et al. 2017
G. Hyperoodon Lacépède 1804
+
Subg. Hyperoodon (Frasercetus) Moore 1968
Hyperoodon ampullatus Forster 1770 [northern bottlenose whale]
+
Invalid names: Delphinus diodon Lacépède 1804 [synonym], Delphinus hunteri Gray 1846 [synonym], Hyperoodon borealis Nilsson 1820 [synonym], Hyperoodon butskopf Lacépède 1804 [synonym], Hyperoodon latifrons Gray 1846 [synonym], Hyperoodon rostratum Wesamel 1840 [synonym]
Hyperoodon planifrons Flower 1882 [southern bottlenose whale]
+
Invalid names: Delphinus hyperoodon Desmarest 1822 [synonym], Hyperoodon burmeisteri Moreno 1888 [synonym]
Invalid names: Anodon Wagler 1830 [synonym], Cetodiodon Jacob 1825 [synonym], Chaenodelphinus Eschricht 1843 [synonym], Heterodon Blainville 1817 [synonym], Lagenocetus Gray 1863 [synonym], Uranodon Illiger 1811 [synonym]
G. †Ihlengesi Bianucci et al. 2007
+
†Ihlengesi changoensis Bianucci et al. 2023
†Ihlengesi saldanhae Bianucci et al. 2007
G. Indopacetus Moore 1968 [tropical bottlenose whale]
+
Indopacetus pacificus Longman 1926 [tropical bottlenose whale]
G. †Khoikhoicetus Bianucci et al. 2007
+
†Khoikhoicetus agulhasis Bianucci et al. 2007
†Khoikhoicetus kergueleni Lambert et al. 2018
G. Mesoplodon Gervais 1850
+
Mesoplodon bidens Sowerby 1804
+
Invalid names: Aodon dalei Lesson 1828 [synonym], Delphinus micropterus Cuvier 1829 [synonym], Delphinus sowerbensis de Blainville 1817 [synonym], Heterodon dalei Lesson 1827 [synonym], Mesoplodon sowerbiensis Blainville 1817 [synonym], Mesoplodon sowerbyi Desmarest 1822 [synonym]
†Mesoplodon blasiusi Brandt 1873
Mesoplodon bowdoini Andrews 1908
Mesoplodon densirostris Blainville 1817
+
Invalid names: Ziphius seychellensis Gray 1846 [synonym]
Mesoplodon eueu Carroll et al. 2021
Mesoplodon europaeus Gervais 1852
+
Invalid names: Dioplodon gervaisi Deslongchamps 1866 [synonym], Mesoplodon gervaisi Deslongchamps 1866 [synonym]
Mesoplodon ginkgodens Nishiwaki and Kamiya 1958
+
Invalid names: Mesoplodon densirostris Ogawa 1938 [synonym]
Mesoplodon grayi Haast 1876
+
Invalid names: Berardius hectori Hector 1874 [synonym], Mesoplodon australis Flower 1878 [synonym], Mesoplodon haasti Flower 1878 [synonym]
+
Invalid names: Mesoplodon knoxi Hector 1873 [synonym]
Mesoplodon hotaula Deraniyagala 1963
Mesoplodon layardii Gray 1865 [strap-toothed whale]
+
Invalid names: Mesoplodon floweri Lydekker 1887 [synonym], Mesoplodon guntheri Krefft 1871 [synonym], Mesoplodon longirostris Gray 1873 [synonym], Mesoplodon thomsoni Ogilby 1896 [synonym]
Mesoplodon mirus True 1913 [True's beaked whale]
Mesoplodon perrini Dalebout et al. 2002
Mesoplodon peruvianus Reyes et al. 1991
†Mesoplodon posti Lambert and Louwye 2016
†Mesoplodon slangkopi Bianucci et al. 2007
+
Invalid names: Mesoplodon bahamondi Reyes et al. 1996 [synonym]
Invalid names: Aodon Lesson 1828 [synonym], Callidon Gray 1871 [synonym], Dioplodon Gervais 1850 [synonym], Diplodon Gray 1866 [synonym], Dolichodon Gray 1866 [synonym], Mesiodon Gray 1866 [synonym], Mesodiodon Duvernoy 1851 [synonym], Mesoplodon bononiensis Capellini 1885 [nomen dubium], Mesoplodon danconae Lawley 1876 [nomen dubium], Mesoplodon lawleyi Capellini 1885 [nomen dubium], Mesoplodon medilineatus Owen 1870 [nomen dubium], Mesoplodon meneghinii Lawley 1876 [nomen dubium], Micropteron Eschricht 1849 [synonym], Micropterus Wagner 1846 [synonym], Neoziphius Gray 1871 [synonym], Nodus Wagler 1830 [synonym], Oulodon van Haast 1876 [synonym], Paikea Oliver 1922 [synonym], Ziphius gibbus Owen 1870 [nomen dubium], Ziphius tenuirostris Owen 1870 [nomen dubium]
G. †Pterocetus Bianucci et al. 2007
+
†Pterocetus benguelae Bianucci et al. 2007
G. †Xhosacetus Bianucci et al. 2007
+
†Xhosacetus hendeysi Bianucci et al. 2007
Subfm. Ziphiinae Gray 1850 [beaked whale]
+
G. †Cetorhynchus Gervais 1861
+
†Cetorhynchus atavus Abel 1905
†Cetorhynchus christoli Gervais 1861
G. †Izikoziphius Bianucci et al. 2007
+
†Izikoziphius angustus Bianucci et al. 2007
†Izikoziphius rossi Bianucci et al. 2007
Invalid names: Berardini Muizon 1990 [empty]
Subtr. Ziphiina Gray 1850
+
Invalid names: Hyperoodontes Winge 1921 [empty]
Invalid names: Anarnacinae Gill 1872 [empty], Argyrodelphini Winge 1921 [empty], Choneziphiidae Cope 1895 [invalid subgroup], Dioplodon senensis Capellini 1885 [nomen dubium], Eboroziphius Leidy 1876 [nomen dubium], Hyperoodontidae Gray 1846 [synonym], Mesoplodon longirostris Cuvier 1824 [nomen dubium], Mesoplodon tumidirostris Miyazaki and Hasegawa 1992 [nomen dubium], Pelycorhamphus Cope 1895 [nomen dubium], Rhinostodes Du Bus 1868 [nomen dubium], Rhinostodes lovisatoi Vigliarolo 1894 [nomen dubium], Synostodon Vanden Broeck 1874 [invalid subgroup], Ziphiopsis Du Bus 1868 [nomen dubium]
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
M. D. Uhen et al. 2008The beaked whales represent a single living family Ziphiidae that takes its identity from the living Cuvier’s beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris Cuvier 1823 (Heyning 1989b). The alternative family name, Hyperoodontidae, is not followed here (see e.g. Moore 1968, McKenna and Bell 1997, Rice 1998). Crown-group Ziphiidae comprises living species in the genera Ziphius, Mesoplodon, Indopacetus, Berardius, Hyperoodon and Tasmacetus, and all descendants of their most-recent common ancestor. Relationships between the living genera and especially within Mesoplodon have long been vexing (compare e.g. Moore 1968, Muizon 1991, Dalebout et al. 1998, 2002). Opinions vary on whether Ziphiidae belong close to Physeter and Kogia in the Physeteroidea, or whether they are closer to Delphinida and other more-crownward odontocetes. Ziphiids are structurally quite disparate from other odontocetes, which explains their placement by some authors in a separate superfamily (Fraser and Purves 1960).
There is much literature on the supposed diagnostic features of living Ziphiidae (e.g. Flower 1872, True 1910a, Kernan 1919, Fraser and Purves 1960, Heyning 1989a, contributors to Ridgway and Harrison 1989), but limited discussion of osteological synapomorphies. Diagnostic bony features include the following (based on Heyning 1989a, Muizon 1991, plus direct observations): rostrum long, distally usually narrow and subcylindrical; pterygoid sinus and associated fossa on basicranium voluminous, long and deep, extending forward on rostrum; apical or symphysial mandibular teeth enlarged, with post-apical or post-symphyseal teeth small or not erupted; teeth markedly sexually dimorphic (reduced in females); posterior process of tympanic bulla thickened distally and underlying paroccipital process of exoccipital; extreme reduction of the tuberculum of the malleus; body in the living animal markedly deeper than wide, with concomitantly tall neural spines on thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. In most genera, the skull is deeply basined at the face – thus with an elevated vertex and generally the concomitant of a transverse premaxillary crest (Heyning 1989a), and the rostrum may be densely ossified (Zioupos et al., 1997).
Ziphiids have an extensive late Miocene and younger record. The oldest well-preserved skull of a named species appears to be that of the late Miocene Messapicetus longirostris (Italy; Bianucci, Landini, and Varola, 1992). Worldwide, most of the fossil ziphiids described are dense secondarily ossified jaws - rosta or mandibles – without associated crania (e.g. Owen 1889, Glaessner 1947, Whitmore, Morejohn, and Mullins, 1986). Mead (1975b) cautioned that such material cannot be reliably referred to genus. Further, such jaws often occur as fossils in sediment-starved sequences associated with unconformities, settings that might indicate reworking from older rocks.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: hydroxyapatitesubo
Form: roller-shapedo
Ontogeny: modification of partso
Environment: marine, freshwatersubo
Locomotion: actively mobileo
Life habit: aquatico
Depth habitat: surfaceo
Diet: piscivoref
Diet 2: carnivoref
Reproduction: viviparoussubo
Created: 2005-06-08 10:11:10
Modified: 2005-06-08 12:11:10
Source: f = family, subo = suborder, o = order
References: Nowak 1991, Uhen 2004

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Burdigalian to the top of the Holocene or 20.44000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 15.97 Ma

Collections (258 total)

Oldest occurrences

Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Early/Lower Miocene23.03 - 15.97Italy Ziphiidae indet. (128413)
Aquitanian - Langhian23.03 - 13.82USA (North Carolina) Anoplonassa sp., Ziphiidae indet., Ninoziphius platyrostris (48887)
Miocene23.03 - 5.333France Mesoplodon christolii (85152)
Miocene23.03 - 5.333Spain (Glacia) Hyperoodon sp., Tusciziphius atlanticus (80694)
Miocene23.03 - 5.333USA (South Carolina) Proroziphius macrops (18506)
Miocene - Pliocene23.03 - 2.588Netherlands Choneziphius planirostris (53929)
Neogene23.03 - 2.58USA (Virginia) Mesoplodon longirostris (81599)
Neogene23.03 - 2.58South Pacific Mesoplodon sp. (77519 99582 99584 99586 99587) Ziphiidae indet. (99615)
Neogene23.03 - 2.58Japan Mesoplodon tumidirostris (175464)
Neogene23.03 - 2.58Australia (South Australia) Mesoplodon sp. (99623)
Neogene23.03 - 2.58Madagascar Mesoplodon sp. (55451)
Neogene23.03 - 2.58Indian Ocean Africanacetus sp. (149814)
Neogene23.03 - 2.58USA (California) Ziphiidae indet. (99614)
Burdigalian20.44 - 15.97Kenya Ziphiidae indet. (57007)
Burdigalian20.44 - 15.97Italy Ziphiidae indet. (47427)
Burdigalian - Langhian20.44 - 13.82Spain Caviziphius sp., Tusciziphius atlanticus (141840)
Burdigalian - Messinian20.44 - 5.333Italy (Apulia) Messapicetus longirostris (47125)
Langhian15.97 - 13.82Japan (Nagano) Ziphiidae indet. (220347)
Langhian15.97 - 13.82Japan Berardius sp. (56305)
Langhian15.97 - 13.82USA (Virginia) Ninoziphius platyrostris (79793)