Tokarahia, Boessenecker & Fordyce, 2015

Boessenecker, Robert W. & Fordyce, R. Ewan, 2015, A new genus and species of eomysticetid (Cetacea: Mysticeti) and a reinterpretation of ‘ Mauicetus’ lophocephalus Marples, 1956: Transitional baleen whales from the upper Oligocene of New Zealand, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (Zool. J. Linn. Soc.) 175 (3), pp. 607-660 : 613

TOKARAHIA NEW GENUS

Etymology

Named after the Tokarahi township, located near Island Cliff , North Otago, the type locality of T. kauaeroa gen. et sp. nov., meaning large (or panoramic) rock, referring to a mesa-like geographic feature. From the Ma¯ ori ‘toka’ (rock) plus ‘rahi’ (large). Pronunciation: To-kah-rah-hi-ah, with o as in English ‘toe’, a as in ‘far’, and i as in ‘we’ .

Type species: Tokarahia kauaeroa gen. et sp. nov.

Included species: Tokarahia kauaeroa gen. et sp. nov. and Tokarahia lophocephalus Marples, 1956 .

Diagnosis of genus

A large eomysticetid differing from all other eomysticetids in possessing elongate, dorsoventrally tapering zygomatic processes that are medially bowed, with a concave lateral margin, an elongate diamondshaped posterior bullar facet lacking longitudinal striations, and a transverse crest on the dorsal surface of the periotic, between the posterodorsal angle and the posterior internal acoustic meatus. With the exception of Tohoraata raekohao , Tokarahia differs from all other eomysticetids in exhibiting numerous foramina in the supraorbital process of the frontal, an ovalshaped incisural flange closely appressed to the anteroventral part of the pars cochlearis, a prominent dorsal tubercle between the stylomastoid fossa and apertures for the cochlear and vestibular aqueducts, a triangular anterior process in medial view with a posteriorly placed anterodorsal angle, a concave anterodorsal margin between the anteroventral and anterodorsal angles, an internal acoustic meatus that is anteriorly transversely pinched, a posterodorsal angle that is more acute and approximately 90° or smaller, and lacking a posterior bullar facet that is ‘folded’ into two facets by a hingeline, and additionally lacking longitudinal striations on the posterior bullar facet. Tokarahia differs from Tohoraata in exhibiting medial and lateral lobes of the tympanic bulla of equivalent width, possessing a transversely narrower tympanic bulla, a longer posterior process of the periotic and shorter anterior process, and a more deeply excavat- ed suprameatal fossa.