Echovenator

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Echovenator
Temporal range: Late Oligocene, 28.4–23.0 Ma
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Xenorophidae
Genus: Echovenator
Churchill et al., 2016
Type species
Echovenator sandersi
Churchill et al., 2016

Echovenator ("echolocation hunter") is a genus of primitive odontocete from late Oligocene (Chattian) marine deposits in South Carolina belonging to Xenorophidae.[1]

Description and paleobiology[]

Echovenator is distinguishable from other xenorophids in having a paranaris fossa and fused fronto-nasal and maxillo-premaxillary sutures.[2] The earbone structure shows that this odontocete was clearly capable of echolocation.[2]

References[]

  1. ^ http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/echovenator-sandersi-oligocene-whale-ultrasonic-hearing-04084.html
  2. ^ a b Morgan Churchill; Manuel Martinez-Caceres; Christian de Muizon; Jessica Mnieckowski; Jonathan H. Geisler (2016). "The Origin of High-Frequency Hearing in Whales". Current Biology. in press. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2016.06.004.


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