Zygophyseter varolai

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Cladus: Synapsida
Cladus: Eupelycosauria
Cladus: Sphenacodontia
Cladus: Sphenacodontoidea
Cladus: Therapsida
Cladus: Theriodontia
Subordo: Cynodontia
Infraordo: Eucynodontia
Cladus: Probainognathia
Cladus: Prozostrodontia
Cladus: Mammaliaformes
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Trechnotheria
Infraclassis: Zatheria
Supercohors: Theria
Cohors: Eutheria
Infraclassis: Placentalia
Cladus: Boreoeutheria
Superordo: Laurasiatheria
Cladus: Euungulata
Ordo: Artiodactyla
Cladus: Artiofabula
Cladus: Cetruminantia
Subordo: Whippomorpha
Infraordo: Cetacea
Cladus: Neoceti
Parvordo: Odontoceti
Informal group: Physeterida
Superfamilia: Physeteroidea
Familia: Incertae sedis
Genus: †Zygophyseter
Species: Zygophyseter varolai
Name

†Zygophyseter varolai Bianucci & Landini, 2006
References
cited sources

Bianucci, G.; Landini, W. 2006: Killer sperm whale: a new basal physeteroid (Mammalia, Cetacea) from the Late Miocene of Italy. Zoological journal of the Linnean Society, 148: 103–131. DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2006.00228.x

------

Zygophyseter varolai is an extinct cetacean, similar to the sperm whale. The common name of "killer sperm whale" refers both to its relation to modern day sperm whales, and to its similarity in size to and its "probable similar feeding adaptation to the extant delphinid killer whale (Orcinus orca)".[1]

The description for Zygophyseter varolai, published in 2006, is the only species in the genus Zygophyseter. This was based on a fossil, an almost complete skeleton, which dates from the Tortonian Age of the Late Miocene Epoch of Southern Italy. It has a very long zygomatic process, probably for housing the spermaceti organ. Z. varolai has a large body size with large teeth present in both jaws making it capable of feeding on large prey.[1]

References

1. ^ a b Bianucci, Giovanni, & Landini, Walter. (2006). "Killer sperm whale: a new basal physeteroid (Mammalia, Cetacea) from the Late Miocene of Italy". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 148: 103–131. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2006.00228.x.