Denebola brachycephala Temporal range: | |
---|---|
D. brachycephala and Praekogia | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Infraorder: | Cetacea |
Family: | Monodontidae |
Genus: | †Denebola Barnes, 1984 |
Species: | †D. brachycephala |
Binomial name | |
†Denebola brachycephala Barnes, 1984[1] | |
Denebola is an extinct genus of whale belonging to the family Monodontidae. It contains a single known species, Denebola brachycephala. It is the earliest known ancestor of the beluga, Delphinapterus leucas, and dates from the Upper Miocene period.[2] A fossil was found in the Baja California peninsula, indicating that the family once existed in warmer waters.[3]
References
- ↑ Barnes, Lawrence G. (1984). "Fossil odontocetes (Mammalia: Cetacea) from the Almejas Formation, Isla Cedros, Mexico". PaleoBios. 42: 13–17.
- ↑ ZipcodeZoo.com. "Denebola brachycephala". Archived from the original on 2012-08-20. Retrieved 2010-09-16.
- ↑ William F. Perrin; Bernd G. Würsig; J. G. M. Thewissen (2009). Encyclopedia of marine mammals (2 ed.). Academic Press. p. 214. ISBN 978-0-12-373553-9.
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