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Ciuciulea davidi

Mammalia - Cetacea - Cetotheriidae

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.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2018Ciuciulea davidi Gol'din p. 6 figs. 2-6

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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
suborderMysticeti
Chaeomysticeti()
familyCetotheriidae()
genusCiuciulea
speciesdavidi

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.

Ciuciulea davidi Gol'din 2018
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
P. Gol'din 2018A 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
Composition: hydroxyapatitesubo
Form: roller-shapedo
Ontogeny: modification of partso
Environment: marinesubo
Locomotion: actively mobileo
Life habit: aquaticsubo
Depth habitat: surfaceo
Diet: carnivoresubo
Diet 2: suspension feedersubo
Reproduction: viviparouso
Created: 2005-03-06 14:20:41
Modified: 2005-03-06 16:34:40
Source: subo = suborder, o = order
Reference: Uhen 2004

Age range: Serravallian or 13.82000 to 11.62000 Ma

Collections: one only


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Serravallian13.82 - 11.62Moldova Ciuciulea davidi (type locality: 196950)