Cetotheriopsis lintianus

Like many early discoveries, the fossil of Cetotheriopsis lintianus (a partial skull) discovered from the Late Oligocene of Austria, has a complex nomenclatural history. It has been described at least twice, first by von Meyer as Balaeonodon lintianus and as Stenodon lentianus by Van Beneden, 1865. Brandt assigned the first to Cetotheriopsis in 1871 and van Beneden, the second to Aulocetus in 1875. The name Cetotheriopsis has been retained making Aulocetus a junior synonym but Aulocetus becomes problematic as several species not related to Cetotheriopsis have also been placed in this genus.

Name

Cetotheriopsis lintianus

Authority

(von Meyer, 1849)

Meaning of generic name

Whale beast face

[wow, actually composed of three words!]

Meaning of specific name

From Linz

Remains

Holotype (OL 1999/27): partial skull.

Age and Distribution

Horizon: Linzer Sanden Formation. Late Oligocene (Chattian).

Locality: Near Linz, Austria.

Classification

Mammalia Cetacea Mysticeti Cetotheriopsidae

Further Reading

H. Meyer. 1849. [Letter on various fossils]. Neues Jahrbuch fur Mineralogie, Geognosie, Geologie un Petrefakten-Kunde 1849:547-550.

J. F. Brandt. 1871. Bericht uber den Fortgang meiner Studien uber di Cetaceen, welche das grosse zur Tertiarzeit von Mitteleuropa bis Centralasien hinein ausgedehnte Meeresbechen bevolkerten. Bulletin de l'Academie Imperiale de St. Petersbourg 1871:563-566

K. Rothausen. 1971. Cetotheriopsis tobieni n. sp., der este paläogene Bartenwal (Cetotheriidae, Mysticeti, Mamm.) nördlich des Tethysraumes. Abhandlungen des Hessischen Landesamtes fuer Bodenforschung 60:131-148.

Synonyms

Aulocetus lentianus (van Beneden, 1865), Balaenodon lintianus von Meyer, 1849, Balaenodon linzianus (Brandt, 1871), Cetotheriopsis linziana Brandt, 1871, Stenodon lentianus Van Beneden, 1865