A Comparison of Fossils of the Two Whale Fam ilies: Physeteridae and Monodentidae (Cetacea)

Abstract

Whales are a group of marine creatures that have elicited scientifi c and layman’s curiosity since long. The present paper has a focus on elucidating fossils of two Odontoceti families viz. Physeteridae and Monodentidae. Extant Physeteridae is a monotypic family, while Monodentidae is restricted geographically to cold waters of the Arctic and adjoining seas. Physeteridae fossil data showed a total of 28 species, while Monodentidae had only half a dozen species. Warming of the climate in the past appears to have played a role in northward migration of Monodentids.

Keywords

• Paleoclimate
• Odontoceti
• Arctic sea