![]() ![]() The fossilized remains of Nihohae matakoi were collected in 1998 from a block below the North-West face of Island Cliff, Awamoko Valley in North Otago, New Zealand. Skull of Nihohae matakoi in (a) dorsal, (b) ventral and (c) lateral right views, coated with sublimed ammonium chloride, overlaid with line drawing. “Narwhal tusks have been suggested to be used to disturb or pierce prey, to open breathing holes in the ice, as defense weapons against predators, or for sexual display.” “Their canines are highly modified with the most common presentation being the left canine erupting as an ever-growing tusk in males.” “In living cetaceans, true tusks are found in narwhals ( Monodon monoceros),” they added. “Changes in polydonty, monophyodonty and heterodonty, including the presence of tusks, illustrate some extreme modifications of teeth in cetaceans.” “A variety of feeding apparati have been associated with this diversity since the origins of odontocetes in the Oligocene epoch.” “The diversity of body sizes and feeding strategies in living odontocetes (toothed whales and dolphins) ranges from the giant, deep diving suction feeding sperm whales to small raptorial dolphins,” said University of Otago paleobiologist Ambre Coste and her colleagues. ![]() This extinct dolphin had a long rostrum and symmetrical, conical, procumbent tusk-like teeth. Nihohae matakoi lived during the Late Oligocene epoch, approximately 25.2 million years ago. An artist’s impression of Nihohae matakoi.
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