Living true seals (phocids) are the most widely dispersed semi-aquatic marine mammals, and comprise geographically separate northern (phocine) southern (monachine) groups. Both thought to have evolved in North Atlantic, with only two monachine lineages—elephant lobodontins—subsequently crossing equator. The third basal tribe, monk seals, hitherto been interpreted as exclusively (sub)tropical throughout their entire history. Here, we describe a new species of extinct seal from Pliocene New...

Abstract Pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, walruses, and their fossil relatives) are one of the most successful mammalian clades to live in oceans. Despite a well-resolved molecular phylogeny global record, complete understanding macroevolutionary dynamics remains hampered by lack formal analyses that combine these 2 rich sources information. We used meta-analytic approach infer densely sampled pinniped date (36 recent 93 taxa) phylogenetic paleobiological methods study diversification...

Today, monachine seals display the largest body sizes in pinnipeds. However, evolution of larger has been difficult to assess due murky taxonomic status fossil seals, including fossils referred Callophoca obscura , a species thought be present on both sides North Atlantic during Neogene. Several studies have recently called into question validity these fossils, especially those from USA, as fragmentary lectotype specimen Belgium is dubious diagnostic value. We find that isolated humerus C....

The fossil record of true seals (Family Phocidae) is mostly made up isolated bones, some which are type specimens. Previous studies have sought to increase referral non-overlapping and unrelated fossils these taxa using the 'Ecomorphotype Hypothesis', stipulates that certain differences in morphology between represent adaptations differing ecology. On this basis, bulk material could be lumped a specific ecomorphotype, then referred species even if they different bones. This qualitative...

A turnover of the pinniped fauna took place in Southern Hemisphere during Pliocene, based on evidence from South America and Africa. This resulted extinction early phocids, which were replaced by otariids dispersing North Pacific. There is currently a lack similar event Australia, with only confirmed phocids Miocene–Pliocene boundary earliest late Pleistocene. Here, we report fossil monachine tooth Pliocene Whalers Bluff Formation Portland (Victoria). The represents an extinct seal; it does...

Abstract Most of the diversity extant southern true seals (Phocidae: Monachinae) is present in Southern Ocean, but a poor fossil record means that origin this fauna remains unknown. Australia represents large gap bordering Ocean could possibly inform on origins Antarctic monachines, with most known fossils remaining undescribed. Here we describe oldest Australian pinniped assemblage, from Late Miocene to Early Pliocene Beaumaris. Two are referrable Pinnipedia, five (possibly six) Phocidae...

Cretaceous (non-avian) theropod dinosaurs from Australia are poorly understood, primarily because almost all specimens described thus far comprise isolated postcranial elements. In Australia, only three non-dental cranial elements pertaining to Theropoda have been reported: the left and right dentaries of Australovenator wintonensis Winton Formation (Cenomanian–lowermost Turonian) Queensland, an surangular Eumeralla (lower Albian) Victoria. Herein, we report first evidence non-mandibular...

New Zealand fur seals Arctocephalus forsteri are the most abundant of 4 otariid (eared seal) species distributed across Australasia. Analyses stomach contents, scats and regurgitates suggest a diet dominated by bony fish squid, with cartilaginous (e.g. sharks rays) either absent or underrepresented because lack preservable hard parts. Here we report on subadult specimen from south-eastern Australia, which was found ashore emaciated numerous puncture wounds its lips, cheeks, throat inside...

Abstract The extant pig‐nosed turtle ( Carettochelys insculpta ), persisting in far northern Australia and southern New Guinea, is the last surviving member of Carettochelyidae only non‐Gondwanan freshwater lineage Australia. Despite having a global fossil record dating to Cretaceous, absence carettochelyid fossils from has implied relatively recent colonization this landmass. Here we report an upper Miocene lower Pliocene Beaumaris, Victoria, south‐eastern This most southerly occurrence...

Baleen whales (mysticetes) include the largest animals on Earth. How they achieved such gigantic sizes remains debated, with previous research focusing primarily when mysticetes became large, rather than where. Here, we describe an edentulous baleen whale fossil (21.12-16.39 mega annum (Ma)) from South Australia. With estimated body length of 9 m, it is mysticete Early Miocene. Analysing size through time shows that ancient Southern Hemisphere were larger their northern counterparts. This...

True seals (phocids) have achieved a global distribution by crossing the equator multiple times in their evolutionary history. This is remarkable, as warm tropical waters are regarded barrier to marine mammal dispersal and – following Bergmann's rule may limited crossings small-bodied species only. Here, we show that ancestral phocids were medium-sized did not obviously follow rule. Instead, they ranged across broad spectrum of environmental temperatures, without undergoing shifts...

While terrestrial breeding in polygynous species of pinnipeds allows for observations reproductive behavior (Atkinson, 1997), similar opportunities are limited cryptic, nonpolygynous, aquatic-breeding species. The isolated nature solitary leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx; Southwell et al., 2012) restricts data collection on their behavior. Observations to mating calls (Rogers, 2017; Rogers 1996) and pupping (van der Linde 2022). Leopard seal has been observed captivity (Marlow, 1967), but...

Despite decades of research, the systematics extinct true seals (Phocidae) is still overly reliant on morphological data from extant taxa. As a result, monk (Monachini) have been interpreted as ‘archaic’ despite an absence fossil to support this hypothesis. This has affected systematic hypotheses for phocids, including fossils Australasia. Recent finds New Zealand indicate that first seal described Australia, two temporal bones late Miocene–early Pliocene (6.24–4.35 Ma), need be revisited....