Balaenoptera bertae

Balaenoptera bertae is an extinct species of baleen whale that lived from 3.35 to 2.5 Mya during the Pliocene^[1] in the region of today's San Francisco Bay Area. Il held, also during the early to middle Neogene, a diverse assembly of cetaceans. Their fossilized remains were found in the Purisima Formation.^[2] The species Balaenoptera bertae was discovered in 2013.

Balaenoptera bertae Temporal range: Piacenzian–Gelasian ~3.35–2.5 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
B. bertae life restoration
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Infraorder:	Cetacea
Family:	Balaenopteridae
Genus:	Balaenoptera
Species:	B. bertae
Binomial name
Balaenoptera bertae Boessenecker, 2013

Description

Balaenoptera bertae and other Half Moon Bay fossil mammals

Balaenoptera bertae is estimated to be 5 to 6 metres (16 to 20 ft).^[3] It is slightly smaller than the modern minke whale. It is known from a partial skull which is missing a maxilla, premaxillae and nasals.^[4]

References

1. Boessenecker, Robert W. (September 2012). "Geodiversitas". 35 (4): 815–940. doi:10.5252/g2013n4a5. S2CID 85940452. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
2. "Strange marine mammals of ancient North Pacific revealed". Phys.org. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
3. "AAAS". Archived from the original on 2018-05-23. Retrieved 2018-05-22.
4. "Fossilworks Balaenoptera bertae Boessenecker 2013".