Matapanui

Matapanui Temporal range: Late Oligocene, 28.1–27.3 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Synapsida
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Infraorder:	Cetacea
Family:	†Eomysticetidae
Genus:	Matapanui Boessenecker and Fordyce, 2016
Species
M. waihao (Boessenecker and Fordyce, 2016) (type)
Synonyms
Matapa Boessenecker and Fordyce, 2016 (preoccupied)

Matapanui is a genus of eomysticetid baleen whale from the Late Oligocene (early Chattian) Kokoamu Greensand of New Zealand.

Taxonomy

Matapanui was originally named Matapa, but that name was already in use for a genus of butterfly, necessitating the name change.^[1][2]

Paleobiology

Based on the enlarged temporal fossae and enlarged mandibular canal, Matapanui was probably incapable of lunge-feeding, although it remains unclear whether it could skim-feed or filter prey in the benthic zone. Waharoa shared its habitat with the odontocetes Awamokoa, Austrosqualodon, Otekaikea, and Waipatia, and the mysticetes Horopeta, Mauicetus, Tohoraata, Tokarahia, Waharoa, and Whakakai.

References