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Aetiocetidae
Taxonomy
Aetiocetidae was named by Emlong (1966). It was considered monophyletic by Bisconti (2008).
It was assigned to Archaeoceti by Emlong (1966), Mchedlidze (1976); to Crenaticeti by Rice (1998); to Aetiocetoidea by Sanders and Barnes (2002), Geisler and Sanders (2003), Gingerich (2005), Bouetel and Muizon (2006), Bianucci and Landini (2007); to Mysticeti by Fordyce (1982), Barnes et al. (1985), Carroll (1988), Benton (1993), Fordyce and Barnes (1994), Fordyce et al. (1995), Barnes et al. (1995), McKenna and Bell (1997), Fordyce and de Muizon (2001), Rice (2002), Fordyce (2003), Steeman (2007), Uhen et al. (2008), Bisconti (2008), Fitzgerald (2010); to Kinetomenta by Gatesy et al. (2022); and to Mysticeti by Rice (2009), Geisler et al. (2011), Marx et al. (2015), Marx and Fordyce (2015), Marx et al. (2016), Berta (2017), Hernández Cisneros et al. (2017), Fordyce and Marx (2018), Peredo and Pyenson (2018), Hernández Cisneros and Velez-Juarbe (2024), Tsai et al. (2024).
It was assigned to Archaeoceti by Emlong (1966), Mchedlidze (1976); to Crenaticeti by Rice (1998); to Aetiocetoidea by Sanders and Barnes (2002), Geisler and Sanders (2003), Gingerich (2005), Bouetel and Muizon (2006), Bianucci and Landini (2007); to Mysticeti by Fordyce (1982), Barnes et al. (1985), Carroll (1988), Benton (1993), Fordyce and Barnes (1994), Fordyce et al. (1995), Barnes et al. (1995), McKenna and Bell (1997), Fordyce and de Muizon (2001), Rice (2002), Fordyce (2003), Steeman (2007), Uhen et al. (2008), Bisconti (2008), Fitzgerald (2010); to Kinetomenta by Gatesy et al. (2022); and to Mysticeti by Rice (2009), Geisler et al. (2011), Marx et al. (2015), Marx and Fordyce (2015), Marx et al. (2016), Berta (2017), Hernández Cisneros et al. (2017), Fordyce and Marx (2018), Peredo and Pyenson (2018), Hernández Cisneros and Velez-Juarbe (2024), Tsai et al. (2024).
Synonymy list
| Year | Name and author |
|---|---|
| 1966 | Aetiocetidae Emlong p. 3 |
| 1976 | Aetiocetidae Mchedlidze p. 7 |
| 1982 | Aetiocetidae Fordyce p. 424 |
| 1985 | Aetiocetidae Barnes et al. p. 26 |
| 1988 | Aetiocetidae Carroll |
| 1993 | Aetiocetidae Benton p. 762 |
| 1994 | Aetiocetidae Fordyce and Barnes p. 428 figs. Table 1 |
| 1995 | Aetiocetidae Barnes et al. p. 396 |
| 1995 | Aetiocetidae Fordyce et al. p. 379 |
| 1997 | Aetiocetidae McKenna and Bell p. 375 |
| 1998 | Aetiocetidae Rice |
| 2001 | Aetiocetidae Fordyce and de Muizon p. 176 |
| 2002 | Aetiocetidae Rice p. 231 figs. Table 1 |
| 2002 | Aetiocetidae Sanders and Barnes p. 353 |
| 2003 | Aetiocetidae Fordyce p. 156 figs. Figure 9.1 |
| 2003 | Aetiocetidae Geisler and Sanders p. 27 |
| 2005 | Aetiocetidae Gingerich p. 237 figs. Table 15.1 |
| 2006 | Aetiocetidae Bouetel and Muizon p. 383 |
| 2007 | Aetiocetidae Bianucci and Landini p. 45 figs. Table 2.1 |
| 2007 | Aetiocetidae Steeman p. 880 |
| 2008 | Aetiocetidae Bisconti p. 173 figs. Figure 10 |
| 2008 | Aetiocetidae Uhen et al. p. 610 |
| 2009 | Aetiocetidae Rice p. 235 figs. Table 1 |
| 2010 | Aetiocetidae Fitzgerald p. 370 figs. Table 1 |
| 2011 | Aetiocetidae Geisler et al. p. 6 figs. Table 1 |
| 2015 | Aetiocetidae Marx and Fordyce figs. Figure 2 |
| 2015 | Aetiocetidae Marx et al. p. 3 |
| 2016 | Aetiocetidae Marx et al. p. 105 |
| 2017 | Aetiocetidae Berta p. 166 |
| 2017 | Aetiocetidae Hernández Cisneros et al. p. 156 |
| 2018 | Aetiocetidae Fordyce and Marx p. 2 figs. Fig. 4 |
| 2018 | Aetiocetidae Peredo and Pyenson p. 4 |
| 2022 | Aetiocetidae Gatesy et al. p. 912 |
| 2024 | Aetiocetidae Hernández Cisneros and Velez-Juarbe p. 2 |
| 2024 | Aetiocetidae Tsai et al. |
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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. †Aetiocetidae Emlong 1966
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G. †Aetiocetus Emlong 1966
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†Aetiocetus cotylalveus Emlong 1966
†Aetiocetus palmadentis Solis-Añorve et al. 2019
†Aetiocetus polydentatus Barnes et al. 1995
†Aetiocetus weltoni Barnes et al. 1995
G. †Ashorocetus Barnes et al. 1995
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Invalid names: Ashorocetus eguchii Barnes et al. 1995 [nomen dubium]
G. †Chonecetus Russell 1968
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†Chonecetus sookensis Russell 1968
†Chonecetus tomitai Barnes et al. 1995
Invalid names: Morawanocetus Barnes et al. 1995 [synonym]
G. †Fucaia Marx et al. 2015
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†Fucaia buelli Marx et al. 2015
†Fucaia goedertorum Barnes et al. 1995
†Fucaia humilis Tsai et al. 2024
G. †Tohoraata Boessenecker and Fordyce 2015
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†Tohoraata raekohao Boessenecker and Fordyce 2015
†Tohoraata waitakiensis Marples 1956
G. †Willungacetus Pledge 2005
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Invalid names: Willungacetus aldingensis Pledge 2005 [nomen dubium]
Invalid names: Aetiocetinae Barnes et al. 1995 [empty], Chonecetinae Barnes et al. 1995 [empty], Morawanocetinae Barnes et al. 1995 [empty]
Diagnosis
| Reference | Diagnosis | |
|---|---|---|
| L. G. Barnes et al. 1995 | A family of Mysticeti with functional teeth in the adult stage in both the palate and dentary; cranium with premaxilla elevated a t anterolateral corner of nasal bone, parietals exposed in the intertemporal region; sharp margin present a t the base of the temporal fossa a t front edge of squamosal fossa; tubercle present a t posterior margin of temporal fossa continuous with lambdoidal crest; squamosal fossa present and large; elongate, uninflated zygomatic process of squamosal; elliptical notch in the posterior margin of the palatine bone; anterior process of periotic closely appressed to medial side of styliform process of squamosal; carotid foramen perforating basioccipital present and of relatively large diameter; peribullary air sinus large; jugular notch shallow; coronoid process of dentary large and lobate. | |
| A. E. Hernández Cisneros and J. Velez-Juarbe 2024 | The aetiocetids are relatively small toothed mysticetes with estimated body lengths usually between ∼1.8–3 m (Sander et al., 2021:data S5), with possible exceptions up to 8 m (Tsai & Ando, 2016); rostrum length
approximately ∼37–56% of condylobasal length; distinctly elevated and step-like premaxillae at the level of the nasal opening, that laterally overhang the maxilla; proportionately large orbits (approximately 12–17% of condylobasal length or equal to or greater than 25% of bizygomatic width); orbit angle between 60–70°; lacrimal exposed dorsally, large and elongated incising into the ascending process of the maxilla; supraorbital process and orbital rim elevated to (or near) the level of the cranial vertex; anterior half portion of nasals just anterior to the anterior edge of the supraorbital process; intertemporal region short and wide with a generally convex surface (rounded transverse section; differing in Aetiocetus which have a low sagittal crest); absence of a postorbital ridge (infratemporal crest); zygomatic process slender and tapered anteriorly, often dorsoventrally constricted at the middle length and dorsoventrally expanded distally; internal narial notch present; longitudinal keel in the ventrolateral edge of the basioccipital crest; small functional teeth with heterodont dentition, but tend towards polydonty with reduced, small and slender dental cusps (incipient homodonty); lower dentition with single-rooted incisors, fused double-rooted premolars and unfused double-rooted molars; vertical ridges on the post-canine teeth over the lingual surface; spaced diastema among incisors to molars; posteriormost upper teeth typically allocated anterior to the antorbital notch; coronoid process with finger-like shape; mandibular body constricted at mid-length; mandibular symphysis unfused. Additional characters of the periotic and bulla include: short posterior process, length ∼30–50% of the total length of the periotic; posterior process with a stocky or slender cylindrical shape; posterior bullar facet lacking longitudinal grooves; short anterior process, between ∼60 to <100% of the length of pars cochlearis; anterior process not prominent dorsally (more or less continuous with the superior process); pars cochlearis with globular profile in ventral view; indistinct and blunt caudal tympanic process; bulla with elliptic shape; medial margin of the involucrum convex or nearly straight. |
Measurements
No measurements are available
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| Source: subo = suborder, o = order | |||||
| Reference: Uhen 2004 | |||||
Age range: base of the Priabonian to the top of the Duntroonian or 37.71000 to 25.20000 Ma
Collections (27 total)
| Time interval | Ma | Country or state | Original ID and collection number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Priabonian | USA (Washington) | Fucaia humilis (205032) | |
| Rupelian | USA (Washington) | Fucaia buelli (120368) | |
| Rupelian | Australia (South Australia) | Aetiocetidae indet. (45824) | |
| Duntroonian | New Zealand (North Otago) | Mauicetus waitakiensis (45660 63049) | |
| Duntroonian | New Zealand | Tohoraata raekohao (163849) | |
| Chattian | USA (Oregon) | Aetiocetidae indet. (57055) Aetiocetus cotylalveus (45782 57052 57053 57054) Aetiocetus weltoni (45788) | |
| Chattian | Japan (Hokkaido) | Aetiocetidae indet. (162501) Aetiocetus tomitai (45787) Ashorocetus eguchii (45785) Morawanocetus yabukii, Morawanocetinae indet., Aetiocetus polydentatus (45786) | |
| Chattian | USA (Washington) | Aetiocetidae indet. (56871) Chonecetus goedertorum (45784) Salishicetus meadi (185376) | |
| Chattian | Japan (Fukuoka) | Aetiocetus sp., Aetiocetidae indet. (76045) | |
| Chattian | Mexico (Baja California Sur) | Aetiocetidae indet. (66429) Aetiocetus sp., Aetiocetidae indet. (45695) Aetiocetus sp., Niparajacetus palmadentis (183475) Chonecetus sp. (185159) Kaaucetus thesaurus (185160) | |
| Chattian | Canada (British Columbia) | Chonecetus sookensis (45783) | |
| Late/Upper Oligocene | Japan | Aetiocetidae indet. (183070) |