N. D. Pyenson

Publications85
h-index26
Citations2,375
Highly Influential Citations180
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Formation of the Isthmus of Panama
Independent evidence from rocks, fossils, and genes converge on a cohesive narrative of isthmus formation in the Pliocene. The formation of the Isthmus of Panama stands as one of the greatest natural… Expand
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Reconstructing Body Size in Extinct Crown Cetacea (Neoceti) Using Allometry, Phylogenetic Methods and Tests from the Fossil Record
Living cetaceans exhibit interspecific size ranging across several orders of magnitude, and rank among the largest vertebrates ever. Details of how cetaceans evolved different body sizes, however,… Expand
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Mechanics, hydrodynamics and energetics of blue whale lunge feeding: efficiency dependence on krill density
SUMMARY Lunge feeding by rorqual whales (Balaenopteridae) is associated with a high energetic cost that decreases diving capacity, thereby limiting access to dense prey patches at depth. Despite this… Expand
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Scaling of lunge‐feeding performance in rorqual whales: mass‐specific energy expenditure increases with body size and progressively limits diving capacity
Summary 1. Diving capacity generally increases with body size both within and among taxanomic groups because of the differential scaling between body oxygen stores and metabolic rate. 2. Despite… Expand
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New Sea Turtle from the Miocene of Peru and the Iterative Evolution of Feeding Ecomorphologies since the Cretaceous
Abstract The seven species of extant sea turtles show a diversity of diets and feeding specializations. Some of these species represent distinctive ecomorphs that can be recognized by osteological… Expand
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Big gulps require high drag for fin whale lunge feeding
Fin whales Balaenoptera physalus exhibit one of the most extreme feeding methods among aquatic vertebrates. Fin whales, and other rorquals (Balaenopteridae), lunge with their mouth fully agape,… Expand
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Independent evolution of baleen whale gigantism linked to Plio-Pleistocene ocean dynamics
Vertebrates have evolved to gigantic sizes repeatedly over the past 250 Myr, reaching their extreme in today's baleen whales (Mysticeti). Hypotheses for the evolution of exceptionally large size in… Expand
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Pinniped Turnover in the South Pacific Ocean: New Evidence from the Plio-Pleistocene of the Atacama Desert, Chile
ABSTRACT Modern pinnipeds distributed along the coasts of continental South America consist almost entirely of otariids (sea lions and fur seals). In contrast, phocids (true seals) are present only… Expand
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Morphology of the odontocete melon and its implications for acoustic function
Toothed whales (crown Odontoceti) are unique among mammals in their ability to echolocate underwater, using specialized tissue structures. The melon, a structure composed of fat and connective… Expand
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Marine tetrapod macroevolution: Physical and biological drivers on 250 Ma of invasions and evolution in ocean ecosystems
Abstract The dominant consumers in today's ocean ecosystems are marine mammals, including cetaceans, sirenians, and pinnipeds, and other marine carnivorans. The ecological dominance of marine mammals… Expand
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