Xiphiacetus is an extinct genus of cetacean known from the Miocene (early Burdigalian to late Tortonian, 20.43 to 7.246 million years ago of Europe and the U.S. East Coast.[1][2]

Xiphiacetus
Temporal range: Miocene, 20.43–7.246 Ma
Fossil X. bossi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Eurhinodelphinidae
Genus: Xiphiacetus
Lambert 2005
Species

du Bus 1872 described Priscodelphinus cristatus based on partial and poorly preserved skulls with extremely long and narrow rostra with a huge number of densely packed teeth. He estimated the rostrum of a large specimen to be 90 cm (35 in) long and the cranium to be 20 cm (7.9 in) long and slightly wider. He also found a series of well-preserved cervicals and a few of the anterior-most thoracics.[3]

Kellogg 1925 described Eurhindelphis bossi based on an almost complete skull missing ear bones, both mandibles, sixteen vertebrae, ten ribs, an incomplete scapula, a humerus, and a partial sternum. Kellogg named his species after its discoverer, Norman H. Boss, who had discovered the type specimen in 1918.[4] Kellogg also described several other fossils.

Lambert 2005 recombined these two taxa and placed them under the generic name Xiphiacetus.[5]

References edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Xiphiacetus in the Paleobiology Database. Retrieved September 2013.
  2. ^ "Xiphiacetus (Eurhinodelphis) - The Long-Snouted Dolphin - Facts and Fossil Examples". www.fossilguy.com. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
  3. ^ du Bus 1872, pp. 497–498
  4. ^ Kellogg 1925, p. 8
  5. ^ Xiphiacetus in the Paleobiology Database. Retrieved September 2013.

Sources edit