Desmatophoca
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| Desmatophoca Fossil range: Mid Miocene |
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Desmatophoca ("skin seal") is an extinct genus of pinniped.
This poorly known fossil pinniped is a member of the sea lion-like extinct pinniped family Desmatophocidae. Desmatophoca oregonensis was one of the first known fossil pinnipeds from the west coast of North America, and it is now known by several skulls, jaws, and forelimb elements from the Oregon coast. It had lost the primitive shearing carnassials of older pinnipeds like Enaliarctos, which indicates that it was able to feed and ingest fish underwater without having to return to land.
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