The Paleobiology Database

Basic info	Taxonomic history	Classification	Relationships
Morphology	Ecology and taphonomy	Map	Age range and collections

Physeteridae (sperm whale)

Taxonomy

Physeteridae was named by Gray (1821). It is extant. It was considered monophyletic by Lambert (2008).

It was assigned to Cete by Bonaparte (1850); to Denticete by Scammon and Cope (1869) and Gill (1871); to Denticete by Gill (1873); to Odontoceta by Ameghino (1889); to Odontocete by Hay (1902) and Hay (1930); to Squaloceti by Abel (1913), Abel (1919), Dal Piaz (1929) and Van Deinse (1931); to Odontoceti by Slijper (1936); to Cetacea by Pictet (1853), Newton (1891) and Nowak (1991); to Odontoceti by Flower (1867), Flower (1883), Lydekker (1887), Cope (1889), Cope (1890), Flower and Lydekker (1891), Flores (1895), Weber (1904), Trouessart (1904), Case (1904), Abel (1905), True (1908), Turner (1912), Miller (1923), Zittel (1925), Weber (1928), Ellerman and Morrisson-Scott (1951), Scheffer and Rice (1963), Pilleri (1985), Carroll (1988), Vidal (1991), Benton (1993), Sach and Heizmann (2001) and Mead and Brownell (2005); and to Physeteroidea by Gray (1868), Gill (1871), Simpson (1945), Fraser and Purves (1960), Ginsburg and Janvier (1971), Kasuya (1973), Gondar (1974), Barnes et al. (1985), Muizon (1991), Fordyce and Barnes (1994), Fordyce et al. (1995), Hirota and Barnes (1995), McKenna and Bell (1997), Rice (1998), Fordyce and de Muizon (2001), Kazar (2002), Geisler and Sanders (2003), Hampe (2006), Bianucci and Landini (2007), Whitmore and Kaltenbach (2008), Uhen et al. (2008), Lambert (2008) and Geisler et al. (2011).

Subtaxa

Aulophyseter, Aulophyseterinae, Ferecetotherium, Hoplocetinae (syn. Physodon leccense, Balaenodon physaloides, Physetodon baileyi), Idiophyseter, Kogiopsis, Physeter (syn. Catodon, Meganeuron, Orthodon, Megistosaurus, Cetus, Physalus), Physeterinae, Physeterula (syn. Physeterula neolassicus), Scaldicetus (syn. Scaldicetus crispus, Eucetus, Palaeodelphis, Physodon)

Sister taxa

Kogiidae (syn. Thalassocetus)

Download authority and opinion data - View classification of included taxa

Synonyms

Ziphiola was named by Vanden Broeck (1874) [Vanden Broeck assigns this taxon to Van Beneden. R. Kellogg's card file says this is a nomen nudum.]. Its type is Ziphiola clepsydra.

It was considered a nomen nudum by Kellogg (1969).

It was assigned to Ziphiina by Vanden Broeck (1874); and to Ziphiidae by Abel (1901).
Ziphiola clepsydra was named by Vanden Broeck (1874) [Vanden Broeck assigns this taxon to Van Beneden.]. It is the type species of Ziphiola.

It was considered a nomen nudum by Kellogg (1969).
Physetodon was named by McCoy (1879) [Sepkoski's age data: T Plio-l]. It is not extant. Its type is Physetodon baileyi.

It was synonymized subjectively with Physeter by Trouessart (1898); it was considered a nomen dubium by Fordyce and de Muizon (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Uhen and Pyenson (2007) and Uhen (2015).

It was assigned to Physeterinae by Lydekker (1887), Chapman (1917), Simpson (1945) and McKenna and Bell (1997); to Cetacea by Sepkoski (2002); and to Physeteridae by Palmer (1904), Carroll (1988), Kazar (2002) and Fitzgerald (2004).
Priscophyseter was named by Portis (1886) [Sepkoski's age data: T Mi-u Sepkoski's reference number: 746]. It is not extant.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Fordyce and de Muizon (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Uhen and Pyenson (2007) and Uhen (2015).

It was assigned to Physeterinae by Trouessart (1898), Trouessart (1904), Simpson (1945) and McKenna and Bell (1997); to Cetacea by Sepkoski (2002); and to Physeteridae by Portis (1886), Palmer (1904), Carroll (1988) and Kazar (2002).
Ziphioides was named by Probst (1886) [Sepkoski's age data: T Mi-m].

It was considered a nomen dubium by Fordyce and de Muizon (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Uhen (2015).

It was assigned to Physeteridae by Palmer (1904); to Ziphiinae by Trouessart (1898) and Trouessart (1904); to Ziphiidae by Paquier (1894), Simpson (1945) and Carroll (1988); to Hyperoodontidae by McKenna and Bell (1997); and to Cetacea by Sepkoski (2002).
Physeter antiquus was named by Leidy (1853). Its type specimen is ANSP 12076, a set of teeth (portions of three teeth and fragments of two tympanic bones), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Ashley River, Pleistocene, which is in a Pleistocene marine horizon in South Carolina.

It was replaced with Catodon vetus by Leidy (1869); it was synonymized objectively with Physeter vetus by Rhoads (1903); it was misspelled as Physiter antiquus by Lawley (1876), Paquier (1894) and Trouessart (1898); it was considered a nomen dubium by Uhen (2015).
Paleophoca was named by Van Beneden (1859). Its type is Paleophoca nystii. It was considered monophyletic by Uhen et al. (2008).

It was synonymized subjectively with Pristiphoca by Trouessart (1898) and Trouessart (1904); it was corrected as Palaeophoca by Palmer (1904) and Zittel (1925); it was considered a nomen dubium by Fordyce and de Muizon (2001); it was considered a nomen dubium by Uhen and Pyenson (2007); it was considered a nomen nudum by Koretsky and Ray (2008).

It was assigned to Monachinae by Hendey (1972); to Phocidae by Palmer (1904), Kellogg (1922), Zittel (1925) and Carroll (1988); to Hoplocetinae by McKenna and Bell (1997); to Carnivora by Sepkoski (2002); and to Physeteridae by Ray (1977), Kazar (2002) and Uhen et al. (2008).
Physotherium was named by Portis (1886).

It was considered a nomen dubium by Fordyce and de Muizon (2001) and Uhen (2015).

It was assigned to Physeterinae by Trouessart (1898) and Trouessart (1904); and to Physeteridae by Palmer (1904) and Pilleri (1980).
Priscophyseter typus was named by Portis (1886) [University of Turin Museum of Paleontology ]. Its type specimen is UTMP no #? and is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Astigiana, which is in a Pliocene marine horizon in the Sabbie Gialle Formation of Italy.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Uhen (2015).
Scaldicetus lodgei was named by Chapman (1917) [no specimen number listed for the holotype in Chapman 1917]. It is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Clifton Bank, which is in a Miocene/Miocene marine marl in the Port Campbell Limestone Formation of Australia.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Hampe (2006).
Orcopsis was named by Van Beneden (1876).

It was synonymized subjectively with Physeterula by Abel (1905); it was considered a nomen dubium by Fordyce and de Muizon (2001) and Uhen (2015).

It was assigned to Delphinidae by Flores (1895) and Palmer (1904).
Physodontidae was named by Lydekker (1894). It is not extant. Its type is Physodon.

It was considered an invalid subgroup of Physeteridae by Barnes et al. (1985) and McKenna and Bell (1997).

It was assigned to Physeteroidea by Lydekker (1894).
Ziphioides triangulus was named by Probst (1886) [no type specimen listed in Probst 1886]. It is not extant. Its type locality is Baltringen, which is in a Burdigalian marine horizon in Germany.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Fordyce and de Muizon (2001).
Ziphioides obliquus was named by Probst (1886) [no type specimen listed in Probst 1886]. Its type locality is Baltringen, which is in a Burdigalian marine horizon in Germany.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Fordyce and de Muizon (2001).
Orca semseyi was named by Bockh (1899). It is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Salgotarjan, which is in a Miocene marine horizon in Hungary.

It was recombined as Orcinus semseyi by Trouessart (1904); it was considered an invalid subgroup of Physeteridae by Hampe (2006).
Catodontidae was named by Cuvier (1836). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Physeteridae by Barnes et al. (1985) and McKenna and Bell (1997).

It was assigned to Cete by Gray (1846) and Gray (1850); to Denticete by Gray (1864); to Denticete by Gray (1866); and to Physeteroidea by Gray (1868).
Physeterina was named by Gray (1825). It is extant.

It was synonymized subjectively with Physeteridae by McKenna and Bell (1997).

It was assigned to Balaenidae by Gray (1825); and to Physeteridae by Bonaparte (1850).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1821	Physeteridae Gray p. 310
1825	Physeterina Gray p. 340
1836	Catodontidae Cuvier p. 564
1846	Catodontidae Gray p. 21
1850	Physeteridae Bonaparte p. 1
1850	Physeterina Bonaparte p. 1
1850	Catodontidae Gray p. 44
1853	Physeter antiquus Leidy p. 378
1853	Physeteridae Pictet p. 386
1859	Paleophoca Van Beneden pp. 255-258
1864	Catodontidae Gray p. 231
1866	Catodontidae Gray p. 195
1867	Physeteridae Flower p. 113
1868	Physeter antiquus Cope p. 739
1868	Catodontidae Gray p. 3
1868	Physeteridae Gray p. 3
1869	Physeteridae Scammon and Cope p. 20
1871	Physeteridae Gill p. 96
1873	Physeteridae Gill p. 27
1874	Ziphiola Vanden Broeck p. 146
1874	Ziphiola clepsydra Vanden Broeck p. 146
1876	Physiter antiquus Lawley p. 111
1876	Orcopsis Van Beneden p. 489
1879	Physetodon McCoy pp. 19-21
1883	Physeteridae Flower p. 184
1886	Priscophyseter Portis p. 315
1886	Priscophyseter typus Portis p. 315
1886	Physotherium Portis p. 325 figs. Plate VII
1886	Ziphioides Probst
1886	Ziphioides triangulus Probst p. 110 figs. Fig. 7b
1886	Ziphioides obliquus Probst p. 112 figs. Fig. 8b
1887	Physeteridae Lydekker p. 53
1887	Physetodon Lydekker p. 54
1889	Physeteridae Ameghino p. 887
1889	Physeteridae Cope p. 876
1890	Physeteridae Cope p. 606
1891	Physeteridae Flower and Lydekker p. 89
1891	Physeteridae Newton p. 65
1894	Physodontidae Lydekker p. 4
1894	Physeter antiquus Paquier p. 46
1894	Ziphioides Paquier p. 47
1895	Orcopsis Flores p. 12
1895	Physeteridae Flores p. 13
1898	Physotherium Trouessart p. 1054
1898	Physeter antiquus Trouessart p. 1055
1898	Priscophyseter Trouessart p. 1055
1898	Priscophyseter typus Trouessart p. 1055
1898	Ziphioides Trouessart p. 1059
1898	Ziphioides obliquus Trouessart p. 1059
1898	Ziphioides triangulus Trouessart p. 1059
1899	Orca semseyi Bockh p. 43 figs. Figure 1
1901	Ziphiola Abel p. 41
1902	Physeteridae Hay p. 595
1904	Physeteridae Case p. 30
1904	Orcopsis Palmer p. 478
1904	Palaeophoca Palmer p. 505
1904	Physetodon Palmer p. 536
1904	Physotherium Palmer p. 537
1904	Priscophyseter Palmer p. 563
1904	Ziphioides Palmer p. 716
1904	Orcinus semseyi Trouessart p. 771
1904	Physeteridae Trouessart p. 772
1904	Physotherium Trouessart p. 773
1904	Priscophyseter Trouessart p. 773
1904	Priscophyseter typus Trouessart p. 773
1904	Ziphioides Trouessart p. 775
1904	Ziphioides obliquus Trouessart p. 775
1904	Ziphioides triangulus Trouessart p. 775
1904	Physeteridae Weber p. 578
1905	Physeteridae Abel p. 51
1908	Physeteridae True p. 391
1912	Physeteridae Turner p. 71
1913	Physeteridae Abel p. 221
1917	Physetodon Chapman p. 33
1917	Scaldicetus lodgei Chapman p. 34 figs. Plate IV, Fig. 6
1919	Physeteridae Abel p. 763
1922	Paleophoca Kellogg p. 111
1923	Physeteridae Miller p. 40
1925	Palaeophoca Zittel p. 78
1925	Physeteridae Zittel p. 86
1928	Physeteridae Weber p. 389
1929	Physeteridae Dal Piaz p. 78
1930	Physeteridae Hay p. 596
1931	Physeteridae Van Deinse p. 33
1936	Physeteridae Slijper p. 549
1945	Ziphioides Simpson p. 101
1945	Physeteridae Simpson p. 102
1945	Physetodon Simpson p. 102
1945	Priscophyseter Simpson p. 102
1951	Physeteridae Ellerman and Morrisson-Scott p. 720
1960	Physeteridae Fraser and Purves p. 112 figs. Figure 26
1963	Physeteridae Scheffer and Rice p. 8
1971	Physeteridae Ginsburg and Janvier p. 172
1972	Palaeophoca Hendey p. 100
1973	Physeteridae Kasuya p. 61
1974	Physeteridae Gondar
1977	Paleophoca Ray p. 395
1980	Physotherium Pilleri p. 51
1985	Physeteridae Barnes et al. p. 26
1985	Physeteridae Pilleri p. 30
1988	Palaeophoca Carroll
1988	Physeteridae Carroll
1988	Physetodon Carroll
1988	Priscophyseter Carroll
1988	Ziphioides Carroll
1991	Physeteridae Muizon p. 297
1991	Physeteridae Nowak
1991	Physeteridae Vidal p. 5
1993	Physeteridae Benton p. 761
1994	Physeteridae Fordyce and Barnes p. 428 figs. Table 1
1995	Physeteridae Fordyce et al. p. 379
1995	Physeteridae Hirota and Barnes p. 455
1997	Physeteridae McKenna and Bell p. 379
1997	Paleophoca McKenna and Bell p. 380
1997	Physetodon McKenna and Bell p. 380
1997	Priscophyseter McKenna and Bell p. 380
1997	Ziphioides McKenna and Bell p. 382
1998	Physeteridae Rice
2001	Physeteridae Fordyce and de Muizon p. 179
2001	Physeteridae Sach and Heizmann p. 42
2002	Physeteridae Kazar p. 154
2002	Paleophoca Kazar p. 163
2002	Physetodon Kazar p. 163
2002	Priscophyseter Kazar p. 163
2002	Priscophyseter typus Kazar p. 163
2002	Scaldicetus lodgei Kazar p. 163
2002	Palaeophoca Sepkoski, Jr.
2002	Physetodon Sepkoski, Jr.
2002	Priscophyseter Sepkoski, Jr.
2002	Ziphioides Sepkoski, Jr.
2003	Physeteridae Geisler and Sanders p. 28
2004	Physetodon Fitzgerald p. 206
2004	Scaldicetus lodgei Fitzgerald p. 206
2005	Physeteridae Mead and Brownell p. 737
2006	Physeteridae Hampe p. 65
2007	Physeteridae Bianucci and Landini p. 45 figs. Table 2.1
2008	Physeteridae Lambert p. 293
2008	Physeteridae Uhen et al. p. 574
2008	Paleophoca Uhen et al. p. 577
2008	Physeteridae Whitmore and Kaltenbach p. 236
2011	Physeteridae Geisler et al. p. 5 figs. Table 1

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data