''Physeterula'' was a prehistoric close relative of the

sperm whale The sperm whale or cachalot (''Physeter macrocephalus'') is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator. It is the only living member of the genus '' Physeter'' and one of three extant species in the sperm whale famil ...

from the Miocene. Its fossils have been found in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

. This large species is the most stemward physeterid, retaining functional upper teeth lacking enamel.

References

Prehistoric toothed whales Miocene cetaceans Sperm whales Prehistoric cetacean genera Fossil taxa described in 1877 Extinct mammals of Europe {{paleo-whale-stub