Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 17, 2026

Izikoziphius

Izikoziphius is an extinct genus of beaked whale. It contains two species: Izikoziphius rossi, and Izikoziphius angustus.

Last revised
Jul 17, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
314 w
Citations
11
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Izikoziphius
Temporal range: Unknown (likely Miocene or Pliocene)1
Fossilized skull of I. rossi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Placentalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Ziphiidae
Subfamily: Ziphiinae
Genus: †Izikoziphius
Bianucci et al., 20071
Type species
Izikoziphius rossi
Bianucci et al., 20072
Species
  • I. angustus Bianucci et al., 20073

Izikoziphius is an extinct genus of beaked whale.14 It contains two species: Izikoziphius rossi, and Izikoziphius angustus.

Etymology

The genus is named after the Iziko South African Museum. Its grammatical gender (in Latin) is masculine.4 Izikoziphius rossi is named after Dr. Graham James Berry Ross from the Port Elizabeth Museum in South Africa.45

Description

Restoration of an adult male I. angustus. source ↗

Izikoziphius is different from the other genus in the subfamily Ziphiinae in that it has a longer rostrum, and lacks a prenarial basin. Izikoziphius rossi has a rostrum length of 490-530 millimeters, and a width and height of 94-155 and 84-100 millimeters, respectively. It differs from I. angustus in having a rostrum with a mid-length width more than that of its mid-length height. The base of its rostrum is also wider.4

Distribution

Fossils of this species were found off the coast of South Africa.4

References

References

  1. "†Izikoziphius Bianucci et al. 2007 (beaked whale)". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  2. "†Izikoziphius rossi Bianucci et al. 2007 (beaked whale)". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  3. "†Izikoziphius angustus Bianucci et al. 2007 (beaked whale)". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  4. Bianucci, Giovanni; Lambert, Olivier; Post, Klaas (31 December 2007). "A high diversity in fossil beaked whales (Mammalia, Odontoceti, Ziphiidae) recovered by trawling from the sea floor off South Africa". Geodiversitas. 29 (4). Biodiversity Literature Repository: 561–618. doi:10.5281/zenodo.4651080. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  5. Plön, Stephanie; Hofmeyr, G. J. Greg; Cockcroft, Victor G.; Shaughnessy, Peter; Kemper, Catherine M.; Beesley, Pamela L. (October 2017). "Graham James Berry Ross 1945–2017". Marine Mammal Science. 33 (4): 1255–1263. doi:10.1111/mms.12455. Retrieved 4 July 2025.