Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 15, 2026

Physeterula

Physeterula was a prehistoric close relative of the sperm whale that lived in Europe and the United States during the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene. It is similar in size to Idiorophus, Zygophyseter and Brygmophyseter.

Last revised
Jun 15, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
113 w
Citations
3
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Physeterula
Temporal range:
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Placentalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Physeteridae
Subfamily: Physeterinae
Genus: †Physeterula
Van Beneden, 1877
Type species
†Physeterula dubusi
Other species2

†P. neolassicus Veatch and Stephenson, 19111

Physeterula was a prehistoric close relative of the sperm whale that lived in Europe and the United States during the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene. It is similar in size to Idiorophus, Zygophyseter and Brygmophyseter.3

References

References

  1. Physeterula neolassicus in the Paleobiology Database
  2. Physeterula in the Paleobiology Database
  3. Lambert, Olivier (January 2008). "Sperm whales from the Miocene of the North Sea: A re-appraisal". Bulletin de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Sciences de la Terre. 78: 277–316.