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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 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 Gray (1871), 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 Stegoceti by Boessenecker and Geisler (2023); and 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).

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1846Hyperoodontina Gray p. Del
1849Hyperoodontina Bonaparte p. 618
1850Hyperoodontina Bonaparte p. 1
1850Ziphiidae Gray p. 241
1864Hyperoodontina Gray p. 239
1864Ziphiina Gray p. 241
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
1868Hyperoodontidae Gray p. 9
1868Ziphiidae Gray p. 10
1871Ziphiidae Gill p. 124
1871Ziphiidae Gray p. 99
1872Rhinostodes Gill p. 96
1872Ziphiina Gill p. 96
1872Ziphiopsis Gill p. 96
1873Ziphiidae Gill p. 27
1874Ziphiopsis phymatodes Vanden Broeck p. 146
1874Ziphiopsis servatus 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
1885Dioplodon senensis Capellini p. 298 figs. Plate 1, Fig. 13-16
1887Ziphiina Lydekker p. 63
1889Ziphiidae Ameghino p. 887
1894Rhinostodes lovisatoi Vigliarolo
1894Dioplodon senensis Vigliarolo p. 15
1895Choneziphiidae Cope p. 137
1895Pelycorhamphus Cope p. 137
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 senensis Trouessart p. 1065
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 senensis Trouessart p. 777
1904Rhinostodes Trouessart p. 778
1904Rhinostodes lovisatoi Trouessart p. 778
1905Ziphiina Abel p. 88
1908Ziphiina True p. 391
1911Dioplodon senensis Capellini p. 115
1914Ziphiidae Abel p. 221
1919Ziphiina Abel p. 767
1921Xiphiini Winge p. 8
1923Ziphiina Miller p. 40
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
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 (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 senensis Pilleri p. 88
1988Eboroziphius Carroll
1988Ziphiina Carroll
1990Ziphiini Muizon
1990Ziphiina Muizon p. 294
1991Ziphiina Nowak
1991Ziphiidae Vidal p. 5
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
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
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
2008Pelycorhamphus Uhen et al. p. 579
2008Pelycorhamphus pertortus Uhen et al. p. 579
2008Ziphiidae Whitmore and Kaltenbach p. 194
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
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
classMammalia
Theriamorpha(Rowe 1993)
RankNameAuthor
Theriiformes()
Trechnotheria
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. †Aporotus Du Bus 1868
+
Aporotus dicyrtus Du Bus 1868
Aporotus recurvirostris Du Bus 1868
+
Invalid names: Aporotus affinis Du Bus 1868 [synonym]
G. †Belemnoziphius Huxley 1864
+
Belemnoziphius prorops Leidy 1876
G. †Beneziphius Lambert 2005
+
Beneziphius brevirostris Lambert 2005
Beneziphius cetariensis Miján et al. 2017
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. †Chimuziphius Bianucci et al. 2016
+
Chimuziphius coloradensis Bianucci et al. 2016
G. †Dagonodum Ramassamy 2016
+
Dagonodum mojnum Ramassamy 2016
Subfm. Hyperoodontinae Muizon 1990
+
G. †Africanacetus Bianucci et al. 2007
+
Africanacetus ceratopsis Bianucci et al. 2007
Africanacetus gracilis Ichishima et al. 2017
G. †Globicetus Bianucci et al. 2013
+
Globicetus hiberus Bianucci et al. 2013
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. †Imocetus Bianucci et al. 2013
+
Imocetus piscatus Bianucci et al. 2013
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 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 longirostris Cuvier 1824
+
Invalid names: Dioplodon becanii Gervais 1859 [synonym], Dioplodon farnesinae Capellini 1891 [synonym], Dioplodon taramelli Pelizzola 1916 [synonym], Mesoplodon scaphoides Newton 1890 [synonym], Rhinostodes antwerpiensis Du Bus 1868 [synonym], Ziphius angulatus Owen 1870 [synonym], Ziphius angustus Owen 1870 [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]
Mesoplodon tumidirostris Miyazaki and Hasegawa 1992
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. †Tusciziphius Bianucci 1997
+
Tusciziphius atlanticus Bianucci et al. 2013
Tusciziphius crispus Bianucci 1997
G. †Messapicetus Bianucci et al. 1992
+
Messapicetus gregarius Bianucci et al. 2010
Messapicetus longirostris Bianucci et al. 1992
G. †Nenga Bianucci et al. 2007
+
Nenga meganasalis Bianucci et al. 2007
G. †Ninoziphius Muizon 1983
+
Ninoziphius platyrostris Muizon 1983
G. †Notoziphius Buono and Cozzuol 2013
+
Notoziphius bruneti Buono and Cozzuol 2013
G. †Pterocetus Bianucci et al. 2007
+
Pterocetus benguelae Bianucci et al. 2007
G. Tasmacetus Oliver 1937
+
Tasmacetus shepherdi Oliver 1937 [Shepherd's beaked whale]
G. †Xhosacetus Bianucci et al. 2007
+
Xhosacetus hendeysi Bianucci et al. 2007
Subtr. Ziphiina Gray 1850
+
Invalid names: Hyperoodontes Winge 1921 [empty]
Subfm. Ziphiinae Gray 1850 [beaked whale]
+
G. †Cetorhynchus Gervais 1861
+
Cetorhynchus atavus Abel 1905
Cetorhynchus christoli Gervais 1861
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. †Izikoziphius Bianucci et al. 2007
+
Izikoziphius angustus Bianucci et al. 2007
Izikoziphius rossi Bianucci et al. 2007
G. †Nazcacetus Lambert et al. 2009
+
Nazcacetus urbinai Lambert et al. 2009
G. Ziphius Cuvier 1824
+
Ziphius cavirostris Cuvier 1824 [Cuvier's beaked whale]
+
Invalid names: Delphinorhynchus australis Burmeister 1865 [synonym], Delphinus desmarestii Risso 1826 [synonym], Epiodon chathamensis Hector 1873 [synonym], Epiodon cryptodon Gray 1868 [synonym], Hyperoodon capensis Gray 1865 [synonym], Hyperoodon doumetii Gray 1846 [synonym], Hyperoodon gervaisii Duvernoy 1851 [synonym], Hyperoodon semijunctus Cope 1865 [synonym], Ziphiorrhynchus cryptodon Burmeister 1866 [synonym], Ziphius australis Trouessart 1904 [synonym], Ziphius grebnitzkii Stejneger 1883 [synonym], Ziphius indicus Van Beneden 1863 [synonym]
Ziphius compressus Owen 1870
Invalid names: Aliama Gray 1864 [synonym], Diodon Lesson [synonym], Epiodon Rafinesque 1814 [synonym], Hypodon Haldemann 1841 [synonym], Petrorhynchus Gray 1865 [synonym], Ziphiorrhynchus Burmeister 1866 [synonym]
Invalid names: Berardini Muizon 1990 [empty]
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]
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], 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 Chattian to the top of the Holocene or 28.10000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 23.03 Ma

Collections (273 total)

Oldest occurrences

Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Chattian28.1 - 23.03Australia (Victoria) Dolichodon geelongensis (46166)
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 - 5.333Spain (Glacia) Hyperoodon sp., Tusciziphius atlanticus (80694)
Miocene23.03 - 5.333France Mesoplodon christolii (85152)
Miocene23.03 - 5.333USA (South Carolina) Proroziphius macrops (18506)
Miocene - Pliocene23.03 - 2.588Netherlands Choneziphius planirostris (53929)
Neogene23.03 - 2.588Japan Mesoplodon tumidirostris (175464)
Neogene23.03 - 2.588South Pacific Mesoplodon sp. (77519 99582 99584 99586 99587) Ziphiidae indet. (99615)
Neogene23.03 - 2.588Indian Ocean Africanacetus sp. (149814)
Neogene23.03 - 2.588Australia (South Australia) Mesoplodon sp. (99623)
Neogene23.03 - 2.588Madagascar Mesoplodon sp. (55451)
Neogene23.03 - 2.588USA (Virginia) Mesoplodon longirostris (81599)
Neogene23.03 - 2.588USA (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 - 13.82USA (Maryland) Ziphiidae indet. (98328)