Fucaia


Fucaia is an extinct genus of primitive baleen whale belonging to the family Aetiocetidae that is known from Oligocene and latest Eocene marine deposits on Vancouver Island, Canada, the Olympic Peninsula, Washington State, and Oregon.

Taxonomy

Three species are now recognized; F. buelli, F. goedertorum, and F. humilis. Fucaia ''humilis is latest Eocene in age and thus the oldest mysticete in the Northern Hemisphere, F. buelli is of early Oligocene age, while F. goedertorum is younger. The latter was originally described as a species of Chonecetus before it was recognized as more closely related to buelli than to the Chonecetus'' type species.

Palaeobiology

The tooth structure of Fucaia indicates that it was capable of both raptorial feeding and suction-feeding, like other aetiocetids. Analysis of the cranium and postcranium of F. goedertorum has confirmed that the species was a suction-assisted raptorial feeder.

Sister taxa