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Physeter

Specimen image via iDigBio

EntityQ3382003· pop 15· linked from 452 articles

Physeter is a genus of toothed whales. There is only one living species in this genus: the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). Some extremely poorly known fossil species have also been assigned to the same genus including Physeter antiquus (5.3–2.6 mya) from the Pliocene of France, and Physeter vetus (2.6 mya – 12 ka) from the Quaternary of the U.S. state of Georgia. Physeter vetus is very likely an invalid species, as the few teeth that were used to identify this species appear to be identical to those of another toothed whale, Orycterocetus quadratidens.

Species

GENUS

  1. KingdomAnimalia
  2. PhylumChordata
  3. ClassMammalia
  4. OrderCetacea
  5. FamilyPhyseteridae
Habitatmarine
Observations recorded131,838

via GBIF

Museum specimens

Specimen records
48
With media
1
Family
Physeteridae
Collections
USNM, ROM, UF, HSU, UCM, UOMNH
Recorded in
United States, Canada, Yemen; Aden

Wikidata facts

Instance of
taxon
Image
Mother and baby sperm whale.jpg
Show 5 more facts
taxon name
Physeter
taxon rank
genus
Commons category
Physeter
start time
5300000-00
taxon author citation
Linnaeus, 1758
Sources (2)

via Wikidata · CC0

Physeter · Vinony