🦕 Prehistoric World Map

Idiophyseter fossil map

Where fossils of Idiophyseter have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 15 million years ago and on today’s map.

Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 15 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →

GroupEarly mammals
Lived15.98–13.82 million years ago (Langhian)
PeriodsNeogene
FamilyPhyseteridae
Named byKellogg 1925
Fossil records2 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB)
Found inUnited States
Rock formationstxn:42967

About Idiophyseter

Idiophyseter is a genus of macroraptorial sperm whale from the Miocene. Its fossils have been found in Templeton California. Idiophyseter was small in size compared to modern genera and its maxilla has single-rooted alveoli. It lacked ventral internal process of the sort present in the modern day genus of sperm whale (Physeter).

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Idiophyseter (revision 1255782604), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q85768896.

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