Extinct genus of sperm whale from the Miocene epoch
Livyatan
Temporal range: Tortonian-Zanclean, 9.9–5 Ma
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Cast of skull at the Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Artiodactyla
Infraorder:
Cetacea
Superfamily:
Physeteroidea
Family:
incertae sedis
Genus:
†Livyatan Lambert et al., 2010
Species:
†L. melvillei
Binomial name
†Livyatan melvillei
Lambert et al., 2010
Synonyms[1]
Leviathan melvilleiLambert et al., 2010
Livyatan is an extinct genus of macroraptorial sperm whale containing one known species: L. melvillei. The genus name was inspired by the biblical sea monster Leviathan, and the species name by Herman Melville, the author of the famous novel Moby-Dick about a white bull sperm whale. Herman Melville often referred to whales as "Leviathans" in his book. It is mainly known from the Pisco Formation of Peru during the Tortonian stage of the Miocene epoch, about 9.9–8.9 million years ago (mya); however, finds of isolated teeth from other locations such as Chile, Argentina, United States (California), South Africa and Australia imply that either it or a close relative survived into the Pliocene, around 5mya, and may have had a global presence. It was a member of a group of macroraptorial sperm whales (or "raptorial sperm whales") and was probably an apex predator, preying on whales, seals and so forth. Characteristically of raptorial sperm whales, Livyatan had functional, enamel-coated teeth on the upper and lower jaws, as well as several features suitable for hunting large prey.
Livyatan's total length has been estimated to be about 13.5–17.5 m (44–57 ft), almost similar to that of the modern sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), making it one of the largest predators known to have existed. The teeth of Livyatan measured 36.2 cm (1.19 ft), and are the largest biting teeth of any known animal, excluding tusks. It is distinguished from the other raptorial sperm whales by the basin on the skull spanning the length of the snout. The spermaceti organ contained in that basin is thought to have been used in echolocation and communication, or for ramming prey and other sperm whales. The whale may have interacted with the large extinct shark megalodon (Otodus megalodon), competing with it for a similar food source. Its extinction was probably caused by a cooling event at the end of the Miocene period causing a reduction in food populations. The geological formation where the whale has been found has also preserved a large assemblage of marine life, such as sharks and marine mammals.
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Livyatan is an extinct genus of macroraptorial sperm whale containing one known species: L. melvillei. The genus name was inspired by the biblical sea...
They consist of five genera: Acrophyseter, Albicetus, Brygmophyseter, Livyatan, and Zygophyseter. All species are known by at least a skull, and are informally...
Leviathan (/lɪˈvaɪ.əθən/ liv-EYE-ə-thən; Hebrew: לִוְיָתָן, romanized: Līvyāṯān; Greek: Λεβιάθαν) is a sea serpent noted in theology and mythology. It...
prey. The animal faced competition from whale-eating cetaceans, such as Livyatan and other macroraptorial sperm whales and possibly smaller ancestral killer...
shortened to "raptorial") also including Brygmophyseter, Acrophyseter, and Livyatan. It probably grew to be around 6.5 to 7 meters (21 to 23 ft) in length...
crocodiles. The oceans were dominated by large carnivores like megalodons and livyatans, and 19 million years ago about 70% of all pelagic shark species disappeared...
life portal Oceans portal List of marine mammal species List of cetaceans Livyatan melvillei – occupied a similar ecological niche Ingrid Visser (researcher)...
Lansingburgh Historical Society. In 2010, a species of extinct sperm whale, Livyatan melvillei, was named in honor of Melville. The paleontologists who discovered...
dolphin Odobenocetops, and the macroraptorial sperm whales Acrophyseter and Livyatan. Other vertebrates include the seals Acrophoca and Hadrokirus, sea turtles...
portal List of sperm whale strandings List of cetaceans Marine biology Livyatan /ˈkæʃəlɒt, ˈkæʃəloʊ/ – "cachalot". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed...
fossils found in these layers include the giant raptorial sperm whale Livyatan, the aquatic sloth Thalassocnus, the sperm whale Acrophyseter, and the...
loosely based on the Sirens of Greek mythology. Precious is a 123-foot-long Livyatan with three rows of teeth. Precious was the pet of a ground sloth named...
skate coprolite were also found here. Orcinus paleorca Orcinus meyeri Livyatan Capellini, G. (1883). "Di Un'Orca fossile scoperta a cetona in Toscana"...
sharks (e.g. O. megalodon) and Cetotheriids. The raptorial toothed whale, Livyatan melvillei, may too have posed a threat to these whales.[citation needed]...
species of Carcharhinus shark. Acrophyseter, together with Brygmophyseter, Livyatan and Zygophyseter, belong to a group of macroraptorial sperm whales, which...