biology

Otekaikea

Otekaikea is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Otekaikea rather than just read about it. In short: Otekaikea is an extinct genus of toothed whale closely related to Waipatia. It is known from the late Oligocene (Chattian) of New Zealand.

Key takeaways

Otekaikea belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Otekaikea to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Otekaikea from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Otekaikea is an extinct genus of toothed whale closely related to Waipatia. It is known from the late Oligocene (Chattian) of New Zealand.

Description Otekaikea is a medium-sized odontocete similar to Waipatia in the following characters: maxilla and occipital partly separated by parietal; flat dorsal surface of periotic; long posterior process of the periotic; and poorly developed ventromedial keel of the bulla. Differences from other archaic odontocetes include: broad dished face; elevated nodular subrhomboidal nasals and elevated frontals; smooth-surfaced premaxillary sac fossae without prominent premaxillary sulci developed posteriorly; premaxillae strongly bifurcated posteriorly, associated with bilateral posterior accessory foramina and elevated crests on the maxillae; periotic with long slender parallel-sided posterior process, and sharp apex of anterior process.

Taxonomy Otekaikea was originally described as a species of Prosqualodon, P. marplesi. In 1994, it was referred to the genus Notocetus in the original description of Waipatia. Preparation of the holotype, however, established its affinities with Waipatia, and Prosqualodon marplesi was given its own genus, Otekaikea, after the Otekaike Limestone in New Zealand where it was first discovered. A second species, Otekaikea huata, differs from the type species in having single-rooted posterior cheek teeth and a reduced ascending process of the premaxilla.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Otekaikea

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Otekaikea claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Otekaikea before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Otekaikea ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Otekaikea

In research: Otekaikea appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Otekaikea in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Otekaikea is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Fossil taxa described in 2014, Fossils of New Zealand, Oligocene cetaceans, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Otekaikea outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Otekaikea” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Otekaikea in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Otekaikea means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Otekaikea out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Otekaikea in simple terms?

Otekaikea is an extinct genus of toothed whale closely related to Waipatia. It is known from the late Oligocene (Chattian) of New Zealand.

Why does Otekaikea matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Otekaikea?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Otekaikea.