Inermorostrum

Inermorostrum; Temporal range: Early Oligocene, 30 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
	Life restoration
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Suborder:	Whippomorpha
Infraorder:	Cetacea
Family:	† Xenorophidae
Genus:	† Inermorostrum ; Boessenecker et al., 2017
Species:	†I. xenops
Binomial name
	†Inermorostrum xenops; Boessenecker et al., 2017

Last updated May 08, 2025

Inermorostrum is a genus of primitive odontocete from early Oligocene (Rupelian) marine deposits in South Carolina. It belongs to the family Xenorophidae.

Description and biology

Inermorostrum is largely distinguished from other xenorophiids in having a greatly reduced rostrum devoid of functional teeth. The short, toothless rostrum is unusual for early odontocetes, showing that Inermorostrum mostly preyed on squids and other marine invertebrates by means of suction-feeding.^[1]

References

↑ Boessenecker, R.W.; Fraser, D.; et al. (2017). "A toothless dwarf dolphin (Odontoceti: Xenorophidae) points to explosive feeding diversification of modern whales (Neoceti)". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 284 (1861). doi: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0531 . PMC 5577471 . PMID 28835549.

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[1] Boessenecker, R.W.; Fraser, D.; et al. (2017). "A toothless dwarf dolphin (Odontoceti: Xenorophidae) points to explosive feeding diversification of modern whales (Neoceti)". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 284 (1861). doi: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0531 . PMC 5577471 . PMID 28835549.

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