''Dagonodum'' is an extinct genus of

ziphiid Beaked whales (systematic name Ziphiidae) are a family of cetaceans noted as being one of the least-known groups of mammals because of their deep-sea habitat, reclusive behavior and apparent low abundance. Only three or four of the 24 existing s ...

cetacean known from

Tortonian The Tortonian is in the geologic time scale an age or stage of the late Miocene that spans the time between 11.608 ± 0.005 Ma and 7.246 ± 0.005 Ma (million years ago). It follows the Serravallian and is followed by the Messinian. The Tort ...

age marine deposits in the Gram Formation in Denmark. There is only one known species, ''Dagonodum mojnum''.

Etymology

The genus name is a reference to the god

Dagon Dagon or Dagan (; ) was a god worshipped in ancient Syria, across the middle of the Euphrates, with primary temples located in Tuttul and Terqa, though many attestations of his cult come from cities such as Mari and Emar as well. In settl ...

, worshiped as the head god and as a deity of prosperity in ancient inland

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

, but best known from H.P. Lovecraft's

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...

, 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 South Jutlandic or South Jutish ( South Jutish: ; ; ) is a dialect of the Danish language. South Jutlandic is spoken in Southern Jutland (''Sønderjylland''; also called Schleswig or Slesvig) on both sides of the border between Denmark and Germ ...

dialect where the fossils were found. The word, " mojn", is of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

origin, where it is used as both a greeting and a farewell.

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.

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.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q97671522 Fossil taxa described in 2016 Ziphiids Monotypic prehistoric cetacean genera Miocene cetaceans Fossils of Denmark Dagon