Peripolocetus

Peripolocetus
Temporal range: Miocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Suborder: Mysticeti
Family: Balaenoidea
Genus: Peripolocetus
Kellogg, 1931
Species

P. vexillifer Kellogg, 1931
(Type)

Peripolocetus is a genus of balaenoid baleen whale from the middle Miocene of Kern County, California.[1]

Classification

Like other mysticetes that did not fall within extant mysticete groups, Peripolocetus was classified as a cetotheriid in the past. When named by American zoologist Remington Kellogg in 1931, it was assigned to Cetotheriidae,[2] an opinion followed by subsequent authors.[3][4][5] However, it was assigned to Mysticeti incertae sedis by one source,[1] and one study has recovered Peripolocetus as a member of Balaenoidea.[6]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 M. D. Uhen, R. E. Fordyce, and L. G. Barnes. 2008. Mysticeti. In C. M. Janis, K. M. Scott, and L. L. Jacobs (eds.), Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America II:607-628
  2. R. Kellogg. 1931. Pelagic mammals of the Temblor Formation of the Kern River region, California. Proceedings of the California Academy of Science 19(12):217-397
  3. L. G. Barnes. 1977. Outline of eastern North Pacific fossil cetacean assemblages. Systematic Zoology 25(4):321-343
  4. M. C. McKenna and S. K. Bell. 1997. Classification of Mammals Above the Species Level 1-640
  5. F. C. Whitmore and L. G. Barnes. 2008. The Herpetocetinae, a new subfamily of extinct baleen whales (Mammalia, Cetacea, Cetotheriidae). Virginia Museum of Natural History Special Publication 14:141-180
  6. Joseph J. El Adli, Thomas A. Deméré and Robert W. Boessenecker (2014). "Herpetocetus morrowi (Cetacea: Mysticeti), a new species of diminutive baleen whale from the Upper Pliocene (Piacenzian) of California, USA, with observations on the evolution and relationships of the Cetotheriidae". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 170 (2): 400–466. doi:10.1111/zoj.12108.