PBDB Taxon

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Ciuciulea davidi

Mammalia - Cetacea

Taxonomy

Ciuciulea davidi was named by Gol'din (2018). Its type specimen is ZIRM V 28/1, a partial skeleton (incomplete skull with periotics and tympanic bullae (the left of which was detached for description), lacking rostrum, orbits and most of squamosals; 18 partial), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Ciuciulea, which is in a Serravallian marine siltstone in Moldova. It is the type species of Ciuciulea.

Year	Name and author
2018	Ciuciulea davidi Gol'din p. 6 figs. 2-6

Diagnosis

Reference	Diagnosis
P. Gol'din 2018	A small-sized whale approximately three to four m long differing from all the other Cetotheriidae in the presence of a narrow occipital shield, which is as long as wide; and a pars cochlearis of the periotic bone bulging out ventral to fenestra rotunda (a plesiomorphic state for the family). The species retains a primitive state among Cetotheriidae in that the premaxillae form a transverse line with the posterior ends of nasals and maxillae rather than constricted or overridden by ascending processes of maxillae. Differs from Otradnocetus, Parietobalaena, Diorocetus, and Tiucetus in strongly telescoped wedge-shaped facial bones, absence of a squamosal cleft, and a tympanic bulla anteriorly narrowing from the medial view, with a shallow lateral furrow, and a short anterior lobe; differs also from Parietobalaena in a transversely short sigmoid process of the tympanic. Differs from Tranatocetidae in rostral bones not overriding frontals, a flat occipital shield, and a tympanic bulla with a posterior portion not swollen in the posteroventral area, a shallow lateral furrow, and a low conical process. Differs from all the other Cetotheriidae except Joumocetus shimizui in a relatively long interparietal region bearing a sagittal crest. Differs from all the other Cetotheriidae except Z. nartorum in a transversely narrow pars cochlearis with a short posterior cochlear crest. Differs from all the other Cetotheriidae except Metopocetus spp. in a reduced lateral projection of anterior process of the periotic bone. Differs from all the other Cetotheriidae except Mithridatocetus spp. in a poorly developed groove for tensor tympani muscle on the periotic bone. Differs also from J. shimizui in an occipital shield protruding slightly anterior to the center of the temporal fossa; differs from Z. nartorum in a triangular occipital shield with straight (rather than bowed) lateral margins and a tympanic bulla narrower anteriorly than posteriorly in ventral view.

Measurements

No measurements are available