Miophocaena

Miophocaena nishinoi is an extinct species of porpoise from the Late Miocene Koetoi Formation of Japan, dating to around 6.4–5.5 million years ago (mya), represented by a partial skull. the genus name derives from Ancient Greek mio for the Miocene, and phocaena for "porpoise"; the species name honors the discoverer, Takanobu Nishino. Miophocaena resides in a clade with Archaeophocaena discovered in the same area, and, along with Pterophocaena, represents an intermediate phase between porpoises and dolphins.[1]

Miophocaena
Temporal range: Late Miocene 6.4–5.5 Ma
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Phocoenidae
Genus: Miophocaena
Murakami, Shimada, Hikida, and Hirano, 2012
Species:
M. nishinoi
Binomial name
Miophocaena nishinoi
Murakami, Shimada, Hikida, and Hirano, 2012

References

  1. Murakami, M.; Shimada, C.; Hikida, Y.; Hirano, H. (2012). "Two new extinct basal phocoenids (Cetacea, Odontoceti, Delphinoidea), from the upper Miocene Koetoi Formation of Japan and their phylogenetic significance". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 32 (5): 1172–1185. doi:10.1080/02724634.2012.694337.
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