A review of Australian fossil Cetacea

Abstract

Aust ralian Iosst l Cet acea a rc reviewed as a prelude to the revision of previcusly-descnbed tau . The fifteen named species and sebspeoes are based on type-specimens of Oligocene. Miocene aoo possibly Pl iocene age, and represent archaic MyslK:rt i. Squalodomidae, Physeteridae, Delphinidae, and supposedly Ziphiidae. Only '''''0lype-spa:imcT15 arc: skulls , while the rest are elemen ts. such as Isolated teeth a nd earbones. .... hich are know n from cr ber studies (0 be cnen undiagnosnc. AI leas l one nominal species of Ziphiidae is a tlom," dubium . Other specimens which have been descr ibed info rma lly or arc housed in museums include species of Cerothemd ae, Balaenidae, Balaenopteridae, Squalodontidae , Rhabdosre dae, and Ziphiidae. None o f the Australian foss il cetacea n faunas is knov.n .. ell enou gh al presen t to allow signifK:anl pa leobi ogeographical or paleoecological interpretation .