Matapanui is a genus of eomysticetid baleen whale from the Late Oligocene (early Chattian) Kokoamu Greensand of New Zealand.
| Matapanui Temporal range: Late Oligocene,
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|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Infraorder: | Cetacea |
| Family: | †Eomysticetidae |
| Genus: | †Matapanui Boessenecker and Fordyce, 2016 |
| Species: | †M. waihao
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| Binomial name | |
| †Matapanui waihao Boessenecker and Fordyce, 2016
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| Synonyms | |
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Matapa Boessenecker and Fordyce, 2016 | |
Taxonomy edit
Matapanui was originally named Matapa, but that name was already in use for a genus of butterfly, necessitating the name change.[1][2]
Paleobiology edit
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 edit
- ^ Robert W. Boessenecker; R. Ewan Fordyce (2016). "A new eomysticetid from the Oligocene Kokoamu Greensand of New Zealand and a review of the Eomysticetidae (Mammalia, Cetacea)". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. Online edition. doi:10.1080/14772019.2016.1191045.
- ^ Robert W. Boessenecker; R. Ewan Fordyce (2016). "Matapanui, a replacement name for Matapa Boessenecker & Fordyce, 2016". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. Online edition. doi:10.1080/14772019.2016.1210070.