PBDB Taxon

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Mesoplodon

Mammalia - Cetacea - Ziphiidae

Taxonomy

Mesoplodon was named by Gervais (1850) [Sepkoski's age data: T Mi-u R]. It is extant. Its type is Physeter bidens. It was considered monophyletic by Uhen et al. (2008) and Lambert et al. (2009).

It was synonymized subjectively with Nodus by Hershkovitz (1961).

It was assigned to Mesoplodontidae by Scott (1873); to Physeteridae by Cope (1890), Newton (1891) and Palmer (1904); to Xiphii by Winge (1921); to Khoufechia by Moore (1968); to Ziphiinae by Gill (1871), Gill (1872), Lydekker (1887), Trouessart (1898), Hay (1902), Trouessart (1904), Turner (1912), Zittel (1925), Weber (1928), Hay (1930), Fraser and Purves (1960) and Kasuya (1973); to Hyperoodontidae by McKenna and Bell (1997); to Cetacea by Sepkoski (2002); to Ziphiina by Mead and Brownell (2005); to Ziphiidae by Abel (1905), Abel (1919), Kellogg (1928), Simpson (1945), Ellerman and Morrisson-Scott (1951), Sherman (1952), Scheffer and Rice (1963), Barnes (1977), Loughlin and Perez (1985), Pilleri (1987), Carroll (1988), Vidal (1991), Morgan (1994), Norman and Mead (2001), Bianucci and Landini (2002), Dalebout et al. (2002), Geisler and Sanders (2003), Lambert (2005), Agnarsson and May-Collado (2008), Whitmore and Kaltenbach (2008), Uhen et al. (2008), Geisler et al. (2011), Manganelli and Benocci (2014), Damarco (2014) and Cioppi (2014); and to Hyperoodontinae by Muizon (1990), Rice (1998), Fordyce and de Muizon (2001), Bianucci et al. (2007), Lambert et al. (2009), Bianucci et al. (2010), Lambert et al. (2013), Ramassamy (2016), Marx et al. (2016), Lambert and Louwye (2016), Lambert et al. (2018) and Bianucci et al. (2024).

Synonyms

Mesodiodon was named by Duvernoy (1851). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Dioplodon by Pictet (1853); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon by Owen (1870) and Loughlin and Perez (1985).

It was assigned to Physeteridae by Palmer (1904).
Micropterus was named by Wagner (1846). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon by Loughlin and Perez (1985) and Mead and Brownell (2005).

It was assigned to Physeteridae by Palmer (1904).
Micropteron was named by Eschricht (1849). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon by Loughlin and Perez (1985).

It was assigned to Rhynchoceti by Huxley (1864).
Mesiodon was named by Gray (1866). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon by Loughlin and Perez (1985).
Diplodon was named by Gray (1866) [misspelling of Dioplodon]. It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon by Loughlin and Perez (1985).
Callidon was named by Gray (1871). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon by Loughlin and Perez (1985).
Neoziphius was named by Gray (1871). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon by Loughlin and Perez (1985).

It was assigned to Ziphiidae by Gray (1871); and to Physeteridae by Palmer (1904).
Oulodon was named by van Haast (1876). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon by Loughlin and Perez (1985) and Mead and Brownell (2005).

It was assigned to Physeteridae by Palmer (1904).
Paikea was named by Oliver (1922). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon by Loughlin and Perez (1985) and Mead and Brownell (2005).

It was assigned to Ziphiidae by Oliver (1922).
Dioplodon was named by Gervais (1850). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Ziphius by Owen (1870); it was synonymized subjectively with Mioziphius by Abel (1905); it was synonymized subjectively with Nodus by Hershkovitz (1961); it was reranked as Mesoplodon (Dioplodon) by Moore (1968) and Pilleri and Pilleri (1982); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon by Lydekker (1887), Zittel (1925), Hershkovitz (1966), Loughlin and Perez (1985), Mead and Brownell (2005) and Uhen et al. (2008).

It was assigned to Cetacea by Pictet (1853); to Delphinidae by Gray (1863); to Rhynchoceti by Huxley (1864); to Ziphiina by Gray (1865); to Mesoplodontidae by Scott (1873); to Ziphiinae by Gill (1871) and Flores (1895); to Physeteridae by Palmer (1904); to Ziphiidae by Gray (1866), Gray (1868), Gray (1871) and Portis (1925); and to Mesoplodon by Moore (1968) and Pilleri and Pilleri (1982).
Ziphius medilineatus was named by Owen (1870) [no type specimen number listed]. It is not a trace fossil. Its type locality is Felixstow, which is in a Gelasian foreshore horizon in the Red Crag Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was recombined as Dioplodon medilineatus by Van Beneden and Gervais (1880), Capellini (1885), Vigliarolo (1894) and Capellini (1911); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon longirostris by Lydekker (1887), Lydekker (1887) and Abel (1905); it was recombined as Mesoplodon medilineatus by Trouessart (1898), Trouessart (1904) and Pilleri (1987); it was recombined as Mesoplodon (Dioplodon) medilineatus by Pilleri and Pilleri (1982); it was considered a nomen dubium by Bianucci (1997).
Ziphius gibbus was named by Owen (1870) [no type specimen number listed]. It is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Felixstow, which is in a Gelasian foreshore horizon in the Red Crag Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was recombined as Dioplodon gibbus by Van Beneden and Gervais (1880), Capellini (1885), Vigliarolo (1894), Flores (1895) and Capellini (1911); it was recombined as Mesoplodon gibbus by Lydekker (1887), Newton (1891), Trouessart (1898), Trouessart (1904) and Pilleri (1987); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon longirostris by Abel (1905); it was considered a nomen dubium by Bianucci (1997).
Ziphius tenuirostris was named by Owen (1870) [No type specimen number listed.]. It is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Felixstow, which is in a Gelasian foreshore horizon in the Red Crag Formation of the United Kingdom.

It was recombined as Dioplodon tenuirostris by Van Beneden and Gervais (1880), Capellini (1885), Capellini (1893), Vigliarolo (1894), Flores (1895) and Capellini (1911); it was recombined as Mesoplodon tenuirostris by Lydekker (1887), Newton (1891), Trouessart (1898), Trouessart (1904) and Pilleri (1987); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon longirostris by Abel (1905); it was recombined as Mesoplodon (Dioplodon) tenuirostris by Pilleri and Pilleri (1982); it was considered a nomen dubium by Bianucci (1997).
Dioplodon bononiensis was named by Capellini (1885). It is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Rio Predone, which is in a Pliocene marine horizon in Italy.

It was recombined as Mesoplodon bononiensis by Trouessart (1898), Trouessart (1904) and Pilleri (1987); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon longirostris by Abel (1905); it was considered a nomen dubium by Bianucci (1997) and Lloyd and Slater (2020).
Dioplodon lawley was named by Capellini (1885). Its type specimen is MB uncataloged, a maxilla (fragment of rostrum), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Volterra, which is in a Piacenzian coastal claystone/sandstone in Italy.

It was corrected as Dioplodon lawleyi by Vigliarolo (1894) and Simonelli (1899); it was recombined as Mesoplodon lawleyi by Trouessart (1898), Trouessart (1904) and Pilleri (1987); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon longirostris by Abel (1905); it was recombined as Mesoplodon (Dioplodon) lawley by Pilleri and Pilleri (1982); it was considered a nomen dubium by Bianucci (1997).
Dioplodon meneghinii was named by Lawley (1876) [The original type specimen was in the Lawley collection but is now lost. Two plaster casts are IGF 1575V and MB 8592a (Bianucci, 1997).]. It is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Ponte della Ficajola, which is in a Pliocene marine horizon in Italy.

It was recombined as Mesoplodon meneghinii by Trouessart (1898), Trouessart (1904) and Pilleri (1987); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon longirostris by Abel (1905); it was recombined as Mesoplodon (Dioplodon) meneghinii by Pilleri and Pilleri (1982); it was considered a nomen dubium by Bianucci (1997).
Dioplodon danconae was named by Lawley (1876). Its type specimen is lost, a mandible (fragment of right mandibular ramus with tooth), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Volterra, which is in a Piacenzian coastal claystone/sandstone in Italy.

It was recombined as Mesoplodon danconae by Capellini (1885), Trouessart (1904), Capellini (1911) and Pilleri (1987); it was recombined as Micropteron danconae by Vigliarolo (1894); it was recombined as Mesoplodon danconai by Trouessart (1898); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon longirostris by Abel (1905); it was considered a nomen dubium by Bianucci (1997).
Ziphius (Dolichodon) was named by Gray (1866). It is extant.

It was reranked as Dolichodon by Gray (1868) and Gray (1871); it was synonymized subjectively with Ziphius by Owen (1870); it was synonymized subjectively with Nodus by Hershkovitz (1961); it was Mesoplodon (Dolichodon) by Moore (1968); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon by Hershkovitz (1966), Loughlin and Perez (1985) and Mead and Brownell (2005).

It was assigned to Ziphius by Gray (1866); to Ziphiidae by Gray (1868) and Gray (1871); and to Mesoplodon by Moore (1968).
Nodus was named by Wagler (1830). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Hyperoodon by Gray (1846); it was synonymized subjectively with Dioplodon by Pictet (1853); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon by Hershkovitz (1966) and Mead and Brownell (2005).
Aodon was named by Lesson (1828). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Hyperoodon by Gray (1846); it was synonymized subjectively with Dioplodon by Pictet (1853); it was synonymized subjectively with Nodus by Hershkovitz (1961); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoplodon by Hershkovitz (1966), Loughlin and Perez (1985) and Mead and Brownell (2005).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1828	Aodon Lesson p. 155 figs. Plate 3, Figure 1
1830	Nodus Wagler p. 34
1846	Micropterus Wagner p. 281
1849	Micropteron Eschricht p. 97
1850	Dioplodon Gervais p. 14
1850	Mesoplodon Gervais p. 16
1851	Mesodiodon Duvernoy p. 68
1853	Dioplodon Pictet p. 385
1863	Dioplodon Gray p. 200
1864	Dioplodon Huxley p. 395
1864	Micropteron Huxley p. 395
1865	Dioplodon Gray p. 529
1866	Diplodon Gray
1866	Mesiodon Gray p. 349
1866	Ziphius (Dolichodon) Gray p. 353
1866	Dioplodon Gray p. 355
1868	Dioplodon Gray p. 10
1868	Dolichodon Gray p. 10
1870	Ziphius medilineatus Owen
1870	Ziphius gibbus Owen p. 17
1870	Ziphius medilineatus Owen p. 22 figs. Plate 4, fig. 3
1870	Ziphius tenuirostris Owen p. 24 figs. Plate V, fig 1, 2
1871	Dioplodon Gill p. 126
1871	Mesoplodon Gill p. 126
1871	Dolichodon Gray p. 101
1871	Neoziphius Gray p. 101
1871	Dioplodon Gray p. 102
1871	Callidon Gray p. 368
1872	Mesoplodon Gill p. 96
1873	Mesoplodon Scott p. 116
1873	Dioplodon Scott p. 117
1876	Dioplodon danconae Lawley
1876	Dioplodon meneghinii Lawley p. 109
1876	Dioplodon danconae Lawley p. 110
1876	Oulodon van Haast p. 547
1880	Dioplodon gibbus Van Beneden and Gervais p. 420
1880	Dioplodon medilineatus Van Beneden and Gervais p. 422
1880	Dioplodon tenuirostris Van Beneden and Gervais p. 422
1885	Dioplodon gibbus Capellini p. 295
1885	Dioplodon bononiensis Capellini p. 296 figs. Plate 1, Fig. 9-11
1885	Dioplodon tenuirostris Capellini p. 296
1885	Dioplodon medilineatus Capellini p. 298
1885	Dioplodon lawley Capellini p. 299 figs. Plate 1, Fig. 17-18
1885	Dioplodon meneghinii Capellini p. 301
1885	Mesoplodon danconae Capellini p. 302
1887	Mesoplodon Lydekker p. 64
1887	Mesoplodon gibbus Lydekker p. 71
1887	Mesoplodon tenuirostris Lydekker p. 71
1890	Mesoplodon Cope p. 607
1891	Mesoplodon Newton p. 72
1891	Mesoplodon tenuirostris Newton p. 72
1891	Mesoplodon gibbus Newton p. 73
1893	Dioplodon tenuirostris Capellini p. 286
1894	Micropteron danconae Vigliarolo p. 8
1894	Dioplodon gibbus Vigliarolo p. 11
1894	Dioplodon medilineatus Vigliarolo p. 13
1894	Dioplodon tenuirostris Vigliarolo p. 13
1894	Dioplodon meneghinii Vigliarolo p. 14
1894	Dioplodon bononiensis Vigliarolo p. 15
1894	Dioplodon lawleyi Vigliarolo p. 15
1895	Dioplodon Flores p. 13
1895	Dioplodon gibbus Flores p. 13
1895	Dioplodon tenuirostris Flores p. 13
1898	Mesoplodon Trouessart p. 1063
1898	Mesoplodon bononiensis Trouessart p. 1064
1898	Mesoplodon gibbus Trouessart p. 1064
1898	Mesoplodon danconai Trouessart p. 1065
1898	Mesoplodon lawleyi Trouessart p. 1065
1898	Mesoplodon medilineatus Trouessart p. 1065
1898	Mesoplodon meneghinii Trouessart p. 1065
1898	Mesoplodon tenuirostris Trouessart p. 1065
1899	Dioplodon lawleyi Simonelli p. 1 fig. Fig.
1902	Mesoplodon Hay p. 597
1904	Dioplodon Palmer p. 237
1904	Mesodiodon Palmer p. 414
1904	Mesoplodon Palmer p. 415
1904	Micropterus Palmer p. 423
1904	Neoziphius Palmer p. 456
1904	Oulodon Palmer p. 490
1904	Mesoplodon Trouessart p. 777
1904	Mesoplodon bononiensis Trouessart p. 777
1904	Mesoplodon danconae Trouessart p. 777
1904	Mesoplodon gibbus Trouessart p. 777
1904	Mesoplodon lawleyi Trouessart p. 777
1904	Mesoplodon medilineatus Trouessart p. 777
1904	Mesoplodon meneghinii Trouessart p. 777
1904	Mesoplodon tenuirostris Trouessart p. 777
1905	Mesoplodon Abel p. 110
1911	Dioplodon gibbus Capellini p. 114
1911	Dioplodon tenuirostris Capellini p. 114
1911	Dioplodon bononiensis Capellini p. 115
1911	Dioplodon lawley Capellini p. 115
1911	Dioplodon medilineatus Capellini p. 115
1911	Dioplodon meneghinii Capellini p. 115
1911	Mesoplodon danconae Capellini p. 115
1912	Ziphius medilineatus Turner p. 79
1912	Mesoplodon Turner p. 86
1919	Mesoplodon Abel p. 772
1921	Mesoplodon Winge p. 44
1922	Paikea Oliver p. 574
1925	Dioplodon Portis p. 14
1925	Mesoplodon Zittel p. 86
1928	Mesoplodon Kellogg p. 33 figs. Table 1
1928	Mesoplodon Weber p. 389
1930	Mesoplodon Hay p. 584
1945	Mesoplodon Simpson p. 101
1951	Mesoplodon Ellerman and Morrisson-Scott p. 724
1952	Mesoplodon Sherman p. 99
1960	Mesoplodon Fraser and Purves p. 112 figs. Figure 26
1963	Mesoplodon Scheffer and Rice p. 8
1968	Mesoplodon Moore p. 277
1968	Mesoplodon (Dolichodon) Moore p. 277
1968	Mesoplodon (Dioplodon) Moore p. 278
1973	Mesoplodon Kasuya p. 61
1977	Mesoplodon Barnes p. 323 figs. Table 1
1982	Mesoplodon (Dioplodon) tenuirostris Pilleri and Pilleri p. 308
1982	Mesoplodon (Dioplodon) medilineatus Pilleri and Pilleri p. 309
1982	Mesoplodon (Dioplodon) Pilleri and Pilleri p. 311
1982	Mesoplodon (Dioplodon) lawley Pilleri and Pilleri p. 311
1982	Mesoplodon (Dioplodon) meneghinii Pilleri and Pilleri p. 311
1985	Mesoplodon Loughlin and Perez p. 1
1987	Mesoplodon meneghinii Pilleri p. 32
1987	Mesoplodon Pilleri p. 53
1987	Mesoplodon danconae Pilleri p. 53
1987	Mesoplodon medilineatus Pilleri p. 86
1987	Mesoplodon bononiensis Pilleri p. 88
1987	Mesoplodon lawleyi Pilleri p. 88
1987	Mesoplodon tenuirostris Pilleri p. 88
1987	Mesoplodon gibbus Pilleri p. 90
1988	Mesoplodon Carroll
1990	Mesoplodon Muizon p. 295
1991	Mesoplodon Vidal p. 5
1994	Mesoplodon Morgan pp. 255-256 figs. 9a-c
1997	Mesoplodon McKenna and Bell p. 381
1998	Mesoplodon Rice p. 89
2001	Mesoplodon Fordyce and de Muizon p. 179
2001	Mesoplodon Norman and Mead
2002	Mesoplodon Bianucci and Landini p. 22
2002	Mesoplodon Dalebout et al. p. 583
2002	Mesoplodon Sepkoski
2003	Mesoplodon Geisler and Sanders p. 29
2005	Mesoplodon Lambert p. 465
2005	Mesoplodon Mead and Brownell p. 740
2007	Mesoplodon Bianucci et al. p. 578
2008	Mesoplodon Agnarsson and May-Collado p. 981 figs. Fig. 5
2008	Mesoplodon Uhen et al. p. 579
2008	Mesoplodon Whitmore and Kaltenbach p. 213
2009	Mesoplodon Lambert et al. p. 919 figs. Fig. 10
2010	Mesoplodon Bianucci et al. p. 1093 figs. Figure 14
2011	Mesoplodon Geisler et al. p. 5 figs. Table 1
2013	Mesoplodon Lambert et al. p. 588 figs. FIgure 14
2014	Mesoplodon Cioppi p. 87
2014	Mesoplodon Damarco p. 27
2014	Mesoplodon Manganelli and Benocci p. 107
2016	Mesoplodon Lambert and Louwye figs. Figure 3
2016	Mesoplodon Marx et al. p. 130
2016	Mesoplodon Ramassamy p. 398 figs. Figure 17
2018	Mesoplodon Lambert et al. p. 147
2024	Mesoplodon Bianucci et al. p. 32

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Osteichthyes	()
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota
subclass	Synapsida
—	Therapsida	()
infraorder	Cynodontia	()
—	Mammaliamorpha
—	Mammaliaformes
class	Mammalia

Rank	Name	Author
—	Cladotheria
—	Zatheria
subclass	Tribosphenida	()
subclass	Theria
—	Eutheria	()
—	Placentalia
—	Boreoeutheria
—	Laurasiatheria
—	Scrotifera
—	Euungulata
—	Artiodactylamorpha
—	Artiodactyla	()
—	Whippomorpha
order	Cetacea
—	Pelagiceti
—	Neoceti
suborder	Odontoceti
—	Amblyoccipita
—	Stegoceti
family	Ziphiidae
—	Vomeroziphii
subfamily	Hyperoodontinae
genus	Mesoplodon

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.

G. Mesoplodon Gervais 1850

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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 carlhubbsi Moore 1963

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]

Mesoplodon hectori Gray 1871

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

Mesoplodon stejnegeri True 1885

Mesoplodon traversii Gray 1874

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]

Diagnosis

Reference	Diagnosis
M. D. Uhen et al. 2008	Head and body length is 3-7 meters; pectoral fin length is 20-70 cm; dorsal fin height is about 15-20 cm; expanse of the tail flukes is about 100 cm; only two teeth become well developed in males, one on each side of the lower jaw, and these may be lost in old age; functional teeth of females are much smaller than those of males and often do not erupt above the gums; small nonfunctional teeth may be found in both jaws (Nowak and Paradiso, 1983). True (1910a, 1913), Heyning (1989a), Mead (1989) and others gave detailed guides to osteology in living species of Mesoplodon.

Measurements

part	N	mean

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 Serravallian to the top of the Holocene or 13.82000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 11.62 Ma

Collections (77 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Neogene	23.03 - 2.58	Australia (South Australia)	M. sp. (99623)
Neogene	23.03 - 2.58	South Pacific	M. sp. (77519 99582 99584 99586 99587)
Neogene	23.03 - 2.58	Madagascar	M. sp. (55451)
Middle Miocene - Pliocene	15.97 - 2.588	South Africa	M. slangkopi (77213) M. sp. (77208)
Serravallian	13.82 - 11.62	Russian Federation	Ziphius blasii (48070)
Tortonian	11.62 - 7.246	Italy (Sicily)	M. sp. (49400)
Tortonian	11.62 - 7.246	Italy (Sardinia)	Rhinostodes lovisatoi (49399)
Late/Upper Miocene - Late/Upper Pliocene	11.608 - 2.588	Australia (Tasmania)	M. sp. (51419)
Late/Upper Miocene - Holocene	11.608 - 0.0	French Southern Territories	M. layardii (192396 192397 192398)
Messinian	7.246 - 5.333	Japan (Chiba)	M. sp. (76015)
Messinian - Zanclean	7.246 - 3.6	Portugal (Azores)	M. sp. (107485)
Zanclean	5.333 - 3.6	Belgium (Antwerpen)	M. posti (57701)
Zanclean	5.333 - 3.6	Belgium (Turnhout)	M. sp. (77492)
Zanclean	5.333 - 3.6	USA (Florida)	M. sp. (154720)
Zanclean	5.333 - 3.6	Italy (Siena)	Dioplodon tenuirostris (45497)
Zanclean	5.333 - 3.6	Australia (Victoria)	M. compressus (51335)
Early/Lower Pliocene - Late/Upper Pliocene	5.333 - 2.588	Australia (Tasmania)	M. sp. (51414)
Pliocene	5.333 - 2.588	Italy (Tuscany)	Dioplodon meneghinii (76975) Dioplodon senensis (76976) M. medilineatus, M. meneghinii (48645)
Pliocene	5.333 - 2.588	Italy (Piacenza)	Dioplodon lawleyi (76974)
Pliocene	5.333 - 2.588	Italy (Catanzaro)	Dioplodon gibbus (76973)
Pliocene	5.333 - 2.588	Italy	Dioplodon gibbus (115131) Dioplodon tenuirostris (76977) M. sp. (96776)
Pliocene	5.333 - 2.588	Italy (Emilia Romagna)	Dioplodon bononiensis (76972)
Waipipian	3.7 - 3.0	New Zealand (Hawera)	M. sp. (28039)
Piacenzian	3.6 - 2.588	Italy	M. sp., Dioplodon meneghini, Dioplodon medilineatus (47428)
Piacenzian	3.6 - 2.588	Italy (Siena)	M. sp. (178267)
Piacenzian	3.6 - 2.588	Italy (Tuscany)	Dioplodon lawley, Dioplodon danconae, Dioplodon longirostris (48652)
Piacenzian - Gelasian	3.6 - 1.806	Italy (Marche)	Dioplodon tenuirostris (48646)
Gelasian	2.588 - 1.806	United Kingdom (England)	Ziphius medilineatus, Ziphius gibbus, Ziphius tenuirostris, M. floweri (48093)
Early/Lower Pleistocene	2.588 - 0.781	Japan (Niigata)	M. sp. (76035)
Pleistocene	2.588 - 0.0117	Japan (Okinawa)	M. sp. (76047)
Pleistocene - Holocene	2.588 - 0.0	USA Minor Outlying Islands	M. sp. (70551)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Antarctica	M. sp. (168583)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Spain (Canary Islands)	M. europaeus (230214)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Japan (Honshu)	M. densirostris (86916)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	United Kingdom (Scotland)	Physeter bidens (86911)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	India	M. sp. (168585)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	New Zealand	M. densirostris (68035 68036) M. ginkgodens (68034) M. peruvianus (68033) M. sp. (168580)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	New Caledonia	M. densirostris (83482)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	New Zealand (North Island)	Berardius hectori (86914)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	South Africa	M. sp. (79916) Ziphius layardii (86897)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	New Zealand (South Island)	M. bowdoini (86919) M. eueu (223352) M. grayi (86915)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	USA (California)	M. carlhubbsi (86920) M. ginkgodens (86918) M. perrini (77006) M. sp. (168578)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	USA (Florida)	M. sp. (168577)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Sri Lanka (Colombo District)	M. hotaula (230217)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Portugal	M. sp. (168574)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Angola	M. sp. (168575)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Tanzania	M. sp. (168584)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Peru	M. sp. (168579)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	New Zealand (Chatham Islands)	Berardius hectori (86913) M. traversii (230218)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Russian Federation	M. stejnegeri (86906)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Japan	M. sp. (168581) M. stejnegeri (82088)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Brazil	M. sp. (168576)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	USA (North Carolina)	M. mirum (86912)
Holocene	0.0117 - 0.0	Svalbard and Jan Mayen	M. sp. (168582)