Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Prosqualodon

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Kingdom
  
Class
  
Infraorder
  
Rank
  
Genus

Phylum
  
Chordata

Order
  
Artiodactyla

Family
  
Prosqualodontidae

Prosqualodon wwwdinosoriacommammifereprosqualodonjpg

Similar
  
Squalodontidae, Waipatia, Kentriodon, Squalodon, Eurhinodelphis

F sil patagonia argentina delfin prosqualodon


Prosqualodon is an extinct genus of cetacean.

Contents

Prosqualodon was related to and looked like modern toothed whales. It was about 2.3 metres (7.5 ft) long and resembled a dolphin. It had long jaws with interlocking teeth that jutted to the outside, remaining visible when the jaws were closed, like those of a gharial.

In the back of the mouth it had triangular teeth similar to those of earlier cetaceans, but in most other respects, it was relatively advanced. It had developed the body form of modern whales, with a short neck and simple jaw structure, and like modern cetaceans, it also had a blowhole. The olfactory apparatus was reduced compared with earlier forms, suggesting that it had already lost much of its sense of smell, presumably relying on sound to catch its prey.

Paleontology fossil patagonia argentina delfin prosqualodon


Species

  • Prosqualodon australis Lydekker, 1894 (type); from the early Miocene (Aquitanian) of Argentina
  • Prosqualodon davidis Flynn, 1923; from the early Miocene (Aquitanian) of Tasmania, Australia
  • Prosqualodon hamiltoni Benham, 1937; from the late Oligocene (Chattian) of New Zealand; appears to represent distinct genus.
  • The nominal species "Prosqualodon" marplesi Dickson, 1964, later treated as a species of the squalodelphinid Notocetus, has been reclassified as a relative of Waipatia and given the new generic name Otekaikea.

    References

    Prosqualodon Wikipedia