Dear colleagues We are pleased to announce a new article, reporting a large Morawanocetus-like animal from the Oligocene of Hokkaido, suggesting niche partitioning in Oligocene toothed mysticetes.
Tsai, CH and Ando, T. 2015. Niche partitioning in Oligocene toothed mysticetes (Mysticeti: Aetiocetidae). Journal of Mammalian Evolution doi: 10.1007/s10914-015-9292-y Available at: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10914-015-9292-y or email Tsai: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>; [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Abstract Niche partitioning has long been considered to be a fundamental part of speciation and difference in body size is a straightforward proxy for ecology and niche partitioning. Here we report a new aetiocetid specimen from the upper part of Morawan Formation (Oligocene; late Chattian, ~26–24 Ma), Ashoro, Hokkaido, Japan. This specimen comprises an isolated left squamosal and an isolated left periotic; the morphology of the squamosal is distinguishable from all aetiocetids, but shows a close match with the aetiocetid Morawanocetus yabukii in that: the dorsal margin of the zygomatic process of the squamosal is twisted dorsomedially; the zygomatic process expands dorsoventrally; the zygomatic process is transversely thin; and the anterior tip of the zygomatic process is acutely tapered. The estimated body size of this Morawanocetus-like specimen is ca. 8 m, almost twice the size of all known aetiocetids (3–4 m). Moreover, the preserved periotic reveals structures that are otherwise poorly known in aetiocetids. This large Morawanocetus-like aetiocetid sheds new light on niche partitioning of Oligocene toothed mysticetes and evolution of body size in Mysticeti. Regards and all the best, Tsai Cheng-Hsiu Tsai （蔡政修) PhD student, Department of Geology, University of Otago 360 Leith Walk (Courier) or PO Box 56 (Postal) Dunedin 9054, New Zealand Email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>; [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
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