Horopeta

Horopetais a genus ofbaleen whalefrom the Late Oligocene (Chattian)Kokoamu GreensandofNew Zealand.

Horopeta Temporal range:Late Oligocene,
Restoration ofHoropeta
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Infraorder:	Cetacea
Family:	incertae sedis
Genus:	†Horopeta Tsai andFordyce,2015
Species
H. umarereTsai and Fordyce, 2015(type)

Description

Horopetacan be distinguished from other balaenomorphs in the following characters: base of frontal sloping moderately from skull midline; parietal considerably exposed at sagittal crest; parietal largely exposed at sagittal crest; unfused and short posterior process of periotic and tympanic bulla; prominent superior process of periotic; presence of elliptical foramen and sigmoidal cavity in tympanic bulla; unfused and short posterior processes of periotic and tympanic bulla; a distinct pedicle plate situated in fovea epitubaria; presence of horizontal cleft, elliptical foramen, and sigmoidal cavity in tympanic bulla.

Classification

Initial cladistic analysis recoveredHoropetaas either a basal balaenomorph or a basal cetotheriid, although the describers noted that the juvenile nature of the holotype might influence its cladistic position within Chaeomysticeti. Later cladistic analyses corroborated the placement ofHoropetaoutside crown Mysticeti.

Paleobiology

Based on the structure of the jaw,Horopetawas one of the earliest chaeomysticetes capable of gulp-feeding as in extant mysticetes.The same deposits that yieldedHoropetahave also yielded the primitive odontocetesAwamokoa,Austrosqualodon,Otekaikea,andWaipatia,theeomysticetidsMatapanui,Tohoraata,Tokarahia,andWaharoa,and the balaenomorphsMauicetusandWhakakai.