''Matapanui'' is a genus of

eomysticetid Eomysticetidae is a family of extinct mysticetes belonging to Chaeomysticeti (toothless mysticetes). It is one of two families in the basal chaeomysticete clade Eomysticetoidea (the other being Cetotheriopsidae). Description Eomysticetids a ...

baleen whale Baleen whales ( systematic name Mysticeti), also known as whalebone whales, are a parvorder of carnivorous marine mammals of the infraorder Cetacea ( whales, dolphins and porpoises) which use keratinaceous baleen plates (or "whalebone") in th ...

from the Late Oligocene (early

Chattian The Chattian is, in the geologic timescale, the younger of two ages or upper of two stages of the Oligocene Epoch/ Series. It spans the time between . The Chattian is preceded by the Rupelian and is followed by the Aquitanian (the lowest sta ...

)

Kokoamu Greensand The Kokoamu Greensand is a geological formation found in New Zealand. It is a fossil-bearing, late Oligocene, greensand rock unit of the eastern South Island, especially the Waitaki District of North Otago and the southern Canterbury region. The ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

Taxonomy

''Matapanui'' was originally named ''Matapa'', but that name was already in use for a genus of butterfly, necessitating the name change.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.

Paleobiology

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 ''Waipatia'' is an extinct genus of whale from the late Oligocene (Chattian) of New Zealand. Taxonomy The type species, ''Waipatia maerewhenua'' is known from a single skull found near 45° South in Otago Otago (, ; mi, Ōtākou ) is a ...

'', and the mysticetes '' Horopeta'', '' Mauicetus'', ''

Tohoraata ''Tohoraata'' is a genus of eomysticetid baleen whale from the Late Oligocene (Chattian) of New Zealand. There are two recognized species, ''T. raekohao'' and ''T. waitakiensis''.Robert W. Boessenecker and R. Ewan Fordyce (2014). "A new Eomystic ...

'', '' Tokarahia'', ''

Waharoa Waharoa is a rural community in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located 7 km north of Matamata, and is part of the Matamata-Piako District. It is located at the junction of the Kinleith Branch railway and the East ...

'', and '' Whakakai''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q28129258 Prehistoric cetacean genera Oligocene cetaceans Paleogene Oceania Fossils of New Zealand Fossil taxa described in 2016