What is the size of Zygorhiza?
Like other dorundontines, Zygorhiza had a body similar to modern cetaceans with flipper-like forelimbs, rudimentary hind limbs, a vertebral column adapted for oscillatory swimming, and a tail fluke. Marino et al. 2000 estimated the adult body mass for Zygorhiza to 3,351 kg (7,388 lb) based on an estimated body length of 520 cm (200 in).
What did Zygorhiza replace its first teeth with?
Zygorhiza (and Dorudon) replaced their upper and lower deciduous first premolars with permanent teeth. This is very unusual in modern mammals and contrasts to extant toothed whales that only develop a single set of teeth.
What is the vertebral formula of Zygorhiza?
The humeri of Zygorhiza and Chrysocetus are more gracile than those of Dorudon. The vertebral formula is 7 cervicals, 15 thoracics, probably 13 lumbars, 2 sacrals, and at least 21 caudals. The centra of the posterior thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and anterior caudal are slightly elongated.
What is the scientific name of Zygorhiza kochii?
True 1908 proposed the genus Zygorhiza for the subspecies. Adopting True's generic name, Kellogg 1936 synonymized this subspecies with Basilosaurus kochii to form the new combination Zygorhiza kochii.
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What country was the Zygorhiza reported?
Zygorhiza ("Yoke-Root") is an extinct genus of basilosaurid early whale known from the Late Eocene (Priabonian, 38–34 Ma) of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, United States, and the Bartonian (43–37 Ma on the New Zealand geologic time scale) to the late Eocene of New Zealand (43 to 33.9 million years ago).
How long ago did the Zygorhiza live?
Zygorhiza kochii is a species of extinct whale known from the late Eocene (around 36 million years ago) of the Gulf Coast of the United States.
When was the Basilosaurus found?
1834The earliest specimens were found in Alabama in the 1830s, where their enormous vertebrae were used for furniture and building construction materials. Basilosaurus came to the attention of scientists in 1834 when Judge Creagh of Clarke County first sent bones to Richard Harlan in Philadelphia.
What year was the Ambulocetus reported?
1994Ambulocetus was discovered in 1994. In this artists reconstruction, Ambulocetus is shown living like a crocodile, hunting land mammals near the shore.
What is the state dinosaur of Alabama?
Basilosaurus cetoidesBasilosaurus cetoides is the official state fossil of Alabama.
Did the Zygorhiza live in water?
Zygorhiza whale lived approximately 38 million years ago. Much of Mississippi was covered in water at the time. Zygorhiza competed with the largest sharks that ever lived.
What era was the Basilosaurus in?
EoceneBasilosaurus, also called Zeuglodon, extinct genus of primitive whales of the family Basilosauridae (suborder Archaeoceti) found in Middle and Late Eocene rocks in North America and northern Africa (the Eocene Epoch lasted from 55.8 million to 33.9 million years ago).
What is the Basilosaurus geological age?
approximately 41.3 to 33.9 million years agoBasilosaurus (meaning "king lizard") is a genus of large, predatory, prehistoric archaeocete whale from the late Eocene, approximately 41.3 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). First described in 1834, it was the first archaeocete and prehistoric whale known to science.
Where was the Basilosaurus found?
The world's only intact fossil of an early whale – the Basilosaurus dating about 40 million years ago – has been uncovered during a new excavation at Wadi Al-Hitan, a natural World Heritage site in Egypt.
When was the Mesonychids reported?
Mesonychids were reported in the 1980's. They found them in Asia and Europe. They lived 60-37 mya.
When was the Dorudon discovered?
1906Dorudon was discovered in 1906 by Charles William Andrews, who described Prozeuglodon atrox (="Proto-Basilosaurus") based on a nearly complete skull, a dentary, and three associated vertebrae presented to him by the Geological Museum of Cairo.
Where was the Rodhocetus reported?
The fossil remains of R. balochistanensis were found in eastern Balochistan, Pakistan in 2001 by Philip Gingerich.
Taxonomic history
In the late 19th century there was a debate whether large and small specimens of Zeuglodon brachyspondylus (= Basilosaurus, but the species is now considered a nomen nudum) were separate species or not. Hoping to clarify things, Stromer 1903 proposed using Z. brachyspondylus exclusively for large fossils and created the subspecies Z.
Anatomy
Like other dorundontines, Zygorhiza had a body similar to modern cetaceans with flipper-like forelimbs, rudimentary hind limbs, a vertebral column adapted for oscillatory swimming, and a tail fluke. [12]
Skeleton
The skull is elongated with a narrow rostrum and a flattened forehead; the premaxillae are laterally convex. The high sagittal crest is flanked by two large temporal fossae, resulting in a narrow intertemporal region. [14]
