Denebola brachycephala Temporal range: Late Miocene |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Cetacea |
Family: | Monodontidae |
Genus: | Denebola |
Species: | D. brachycephala |
Binomial name | |
Denebola brachycephala Barnes, 1984 |
Denebola brachycephala is an extinct whale belonging to the family Monodontidae. It is the first known ancestor of the beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) and dates from the Upper Miocene period.[1] A fossil was found in the Baja California peninsula, indicating that the family once existed in warmer waters.[2]