A previously unknown kind of ancient whale has been revealed by University of Otago palaeontologists.

They have named the new genus ''Tohoraata'', which translates as ''Dawn Whale'' in Maori.

The whales are believed to have lived up to 27 million years ago.

Fossils from the whales have been found preserved in a rock formation near Duntroon in North Otago.

It's believed that at the time the whales were alive, that area of New Zealand was under water.

The whales are thought to have been about eight metres in length.

They are the first specimens from a certain whale family to be found in the Southern Hemisphere.