Kingdom Animalia Infraorder Cetacea Subfamily Orcininae Rank Genus | Class Mammalia Family Delphinidae Phylum Chordata Order Even-toed ungulate | |
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Similar Etruridelphis giulii, Australodelphis, Orcinus citoniensis | ||
Fossil records
This genus is known in the fossil records from the Miocene to the Quaternary (age range: from 5.332 to 1.806 million years ago). Fossils are found in the marine strata of Italy, the Netherlands, Chile and Peru.
Species
The following species have thus far been classified as belonging to this genus:.
Description
Hemisyntrachelus cortesii lived about three million years ago (from 3.6 to 2.588 mya). Its fossil skeleton reaches a length of about 3 meters and it has been found only in northern of Italy. This species shows intermediate characters between the bottlenose dolphin and the killer whale. It fed on large fishes and squids.
Hemisyntrachelus oligodon lived from 7.246 to 5.332 million years ago. Fossils have been found only in the Pisco Formation of Peru.
Hemisyntrachelus pisanus could reach a length of about 5 metres (16 ft). It was widespread in the Mediterranea Sea during the Miocene. Fossils have been found only in Orciano, which is in a Piacenzian coastal claystone in Italy.