Biology:Dagonodum
| Dagonodum | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Infraorder: | Cetacea |
| Family: | Ziphiidae |
| Genus: | †Dagonodum Ramassamy, 2016 |
| Species: | †D. mojnum
|
| Binomial name | |
| †Dagonodum mojnum Ramassamy, 2016
| |
Dagonodum is an extinct genus of ziphiid cetacean known from Tortonian age marine deposits in the Gram Formation in Denmark. There is only one known species, Dagonodum mojnum.[1]
Etymology
The genus name is a reference to the god Dagon, worshiped as the head god and as a deity of prosperity in ancient inland Syria, but best known from H.P. Lovecraft's short story, where he is instead depicted as deep-sea deity. The species name is a reference to the word for "goodbye" in the local South Jutlandic dialect where the fossils were found. The word, "mojn", is of German origin, where it is used as both a greeting and a farewell.[1]
Taxonomy
The species is distinguished by its two pairs of mandibular tusks and long snout. It also possessed a long neck, leading to speculation that it wasn't well suited to deep-dives.[1]
Feeding
The species is notable for its difference from other ziphiidae of the period in that it seems to be less reliant on suction feeding.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Dagonodum mojnum". https://www.gbif.org/species/124955304.
- ↑ Ramassamy, Benjamin; Lauridsen, Henrik (2019). "A new specimen of Ziphiidae (Cetacea, Odontoceti) from the late Miocene of Denmark with morphological evidence for suction feeding behaviour". Royal Society Open Science 6 (10): 191347. doi:10.1098/rsos.191347. PMID 31824732. Bibcode: 2019RSOS....691347R.
Wikidata ☰ Q97671522 entry
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