List Of Extinct Cetaceans

The list of extinct cetaceans features the extinct genera and species of the order Cetacea. The cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) are descendants of land-living mammals, the even-toed ungulates. The earliest cetaceans were still hoofed mammals. These early cetaceans became gradually better adapted for swimming than for walking on land, finally evolving into fully marine cetaceans.

This list currently includes only fossil genera and species. However, the Atlantic population of gray whales (''Eschrichtius robustus'') became extinct in the 18th century, and the baiji (or Chinese river dolphin, ''Lipotes vexillifer'') was declared "functionally extinct" after an expedition in late 2006 failed to find any in the Yangtze River.

Suborder

Archaeoceti

Family

Ambulocetidae

(Eocene)

* ''Ambulocetus''
* ''Himalayacetus''
* '' Gandakasia''

Family

Basilosauridae

(Late Eocene)

* Basilosaurinae
** ''Basilosaurus''
** ''Basiloterus''
** ''Eocetus''
** ''Platyosphys''
* Dorudontinae
** ''Ancalecetus''
** ''Chrysocetus''
** ''Cynthiacetus''
** ''Dorudon''
** ''Masracetus''
** ''Ocucajea''
** ''Saghacetus''
** '' Supayacetus''
** ''Zygorhiza''
* Stromeriinae
** ''Stromerius''

Family Kekenodontidae

(Oligocene)
* '' Kekenodon''

Family

Pakicetidae

(Early to Middle Eocene)

* '' Gandakasia''
* ''Pakicetus''
* ''Nalacetus''
* '' Ichthyolestes''

Family

Protocetidae

(Eocene)

* Georgiacetinae
** '' Aegicetus''
** ''Babiacetus''
** '' Carolinacetus''
** ''Georgiacetus''
** '' Natchitochia''
** ''Pappocetus''
** '' Pontobasileus''
** '' Tupelocetus''
* Makaracetinae
** ''Makaracetus''
* Protocetinae
** ''Aegyptocetus''
** ''Artiocetus''
** ''Crenatocetus''
** ''Dhedacetus''
** ''Gaviacetus''
** ''Indocetus''
** ''Kharodacetus''
** ''Maiacetus''
** ''Peregocetus''
** '' Protocetus''
** ''Qaisracetus''
** ''Rodhocetus''
** '' Takracetus''
** ''Togocetus''

Family

Remingtonocetidae

(Eocene)
*''Andrewsiphius''
*'' Attockicetus''
*''Dalanistes''
*''Kutchicetus''
*'' Rayanistes''
*''Remingtonocetus''

Suborder Mysticeti

Family

Aetiocetidae

(Oligocene)

* ''Aetiocetus''
* ''Ashorocetus''
* ''Chonecetus''
* ''Fucaia''
* ''Morawanocetus''
* '' Niparajacetus''
* ''Salishicetus''
* ''Willungacetus''

Family Llanocetidae

(Late Eocene-Early Oligocene)
* ''Llanocetus''
* ''Mystacodon''

Family Mammalodontidae

(jr synonym Janjucetidae)

(Late Oligocene)
* ''Janjucetus''
* ''Mammalodon''

Family ''incertae sedis''

* ''Borealodon''
* ''Coronodon''

Clade Chaeomysticeti

Family ''incertae sedis''

* ''Horopeta''
* ''Maiabalaena''
* ''Sitsqwayk''
* ''Tlaxcallicetus''
* ''Toipahautea''
* ''Whakakai''

Superfamily Eomysticetoidea

=Family Cetotheriopsis, Cetotheriopsidae

=
(Oligocene to Miocene)
* ''Cetotheriopsis''

=Family Eomysticetidae

=
(Oligocene to early Miocene)
* ''Eomysticetus''
* ''Matapanui''
* ''Micromysticetus''
* ''Tohoraata''
* ''Tokarahia''
* ''Waharoa (whale), Waharoa''
* ''Yamatocetus''

=Family Aglaocetidae

=
(Miocene)
* ''Aglaocetus''

Superfamily Balaenoidea

=Family Balaenidae

=
(Miocene to Recent)
* ''Antwerpibalaena''
* ''Archaeobalaena''
* ''Balaena''
** ''Balaena, Balaena affinis''
** ''Balaena, Balaena arcuata''
** ''Balaena, Balaena larteti''
** ''Balaena, Balaena macrocephalus''
** ''Balaena, Balaena montalionis''
** ''Balaena, Balaena ricei''
* ''Balaenella''
* ''Balaenotus''
* ''Balaenula''
* ''Eubalaena'' (extant)
** ''Eubalaena, Eubalaena ianitrix''
** ''Eubalaena, Eubalaena shinshuensis''
* ''Idiocetus''
* ''Peripolocetus''
* ''Protobalaena''

=Family ''incertae sedis''

=
* ''Morenocetus''

Clade Thalassotherii

* ''Cetotheriomorphus''
* ''Heterocetus''
* ''Imerocetus''
* ''Isocetus''
* ''Notiocetus''
* ''Otradnocetus''
* ''Palaeobalaena''
* ''Rhegnopsis''

=Family Cetotheriidae

=
(Miocene - Pliocene)

Classification follows Steeman (2007) unless otherwise noted.

* ''Brandtocetus''
* ''Cephalotropis''
* ''Cetotherium''
* ''Ciuciulea davidi, Ciuciulea''
* ''Eucetotherium''
* ''Halicetus''
* ''Herentalia''
* ''Herpetocetus''
* ''Hibacetus''
* ''Joumocetus''
* ''Kurdalagonus''
* ''Metopocetus''
* ''Mithridatocetus''
* ''Nannocetus''
* ''Piscobalaena''
* ''Thinocetus''
* ''Titanocetus''
* ''Tiucetus''
* ''Vampalus''
* ''Zygiocetus''

=Family Diorocetidae

=
(Miocene to Pliocene)
* ''Amphicetus''
* ''Diorocetus''
* ''Plesiocetopsis''
* ''Uranocetus''

=Family Neobalaenidae

=
(Miocene to Recent)
* ''Miocaperea''

=Family Pelocetidae

=
(Miocene)
* ''Cophocetus''
* ''Parietobalaena''
* ''Pelocetus''

=Family ''incertae sedis''

=
* ''Isanacetus''
* ''Pinocetus''
* ''Mauicetus''
* ''Taikicetus''
* ''Tiphyocetus''

=Superfamily Balaenopteroidea

=

* ''Eobalaenoptera''

Family Balaenopteridae

(Miocene to Recent)
* ''Archaebalaenoptera''
* ''Balaenoptera'' (extant)
** ''Balaenoptera#†Balaenoptera bertae, Balaenoptera bertae''
** ''Balaenoptera#†Balaenoptera cephalus, Balaenoptera cephalus''
** ''Balaenoptera#†Balaenoptera colcloughi, Balaenoptera colcloughi''
** ''Balaenoptera#†Balaenoptera davidsonii, Balaenoptera davidsonii''
** ''Balaenoptera#†Balaenoptera siberi, Balaenoptera siberi''
** ''Balaenoptera#†Balaenoptera sursiplana, Balaenoptera sursiplana''
** ''Balaenoptera#†Balaenoptera taiwanica, Balaenoptera taiwanica''
* ''Balaenoptera#†"Balaenoptera" cortesii, "Balaenoptera" cortesii''
* ''Balaenoptera#†"Balaenoptera" cortesii, "Balaenoptera" portisi''
* ''Balaenoptera ryani, "Balaenoptera" ryani''
* ''Burtinopsis''
* ''Cetotheriophanes''
* ''Fragilicetus''
* ''Incakujira''
* ''Miobalaenoptera''
* ''Norrisanima miocaena, Norrisanima''
* ''Nehalaennia''
* ''Parabalaenoptera''
* ''Plesiobalaenoptera''
* ''Plesiocetus''
* ''Praemegaptera''
* ''Protororqualus''

Family Eschrichtiidae

(Miocene to Recent)
* ''Archaeschrichtius''
* ''Eschrichtioides''
* ''Gricetoides''
* ''Megapteropsis''

Family Tranatocetidae

* ''Mesocetus''
* ''Mixocetus''
* ''Tranatocetus''

Family ''incertae sedis''

* ''Mioceta'' (''nomen dubium'')
* ''Piscocetus''
* ''Siphonocetus'' (''nomen dubium'')
* ''Tretulias'' (''nomen dubium'')
* ''Ulias'' (''nomen dubium'')

Suborder Odontoceti

Basal forms

Family Agorophius, Agorophiidae

(Early Oligocene)
* ''Agorophius''

Family Ashleycetidae

(Early Oligocene)
* ''Ashleycetus''

Family Patriocetidae

(Oligocene to Early Miocene)
* ''Patriocetus''

Family Simocetus, Simocetidae

(Early Oligocene)
* ''Simocetus''

Family Xenorophidae

(Late Oligocene)
* ''Albertocetus''
* ''Archaeodelphis''
* ''Cotylocara''
* ''Echovenator''
* ''Inermorostrum''
* ''Mirocetus''
* ''Xenorophus''

Family Inticetus, Inticetidae

* ''Inticetus''
* ''Phococetus''

Family Microzeuglodontidae

* ''Microzeuglodon''

Family Squaloziphiidae

(Late Oligocene to Early Miocene)
* ''Squaloziphius''
* ''Yaquinacetus''

Family ''incertae sedis''

* ''Ankylorhiza''
* ''Agriocetus''
* ''Atropatenocetus''
* ''Ediscetus''
* ''Olympicetus''
* ''Saurocetus''

Superfamily Squalodontoidea

Family Dalpiazinidae

(Late Oligocene to Miocene)
* ''Dalpiazina''

Family Prosqualodontidae

(Late Oligocene-Middle Miocene)
* ''Parasqualodon''
* ''Prosqualodon''

Superfamily Physeteroidea

Family Kogiidae

(Miocene to recent)
* ''Aprixokogia''
* ''Kogia'' (extant)
** ''Kogia, Kogia pusilla''
* ''Kogiopsis''
* ''Koristocetus''
* ''Nanokogia''
* ''Pliokogia''
* ''Praekogia''
* ''Scaphokogia''
* ''Thalassocetus''

Family Physeteridae

* ''Ferecetotherium''
* ''Idiophyseter''
* ''Idiorophus''
* ''Orycterocetus''
* ''Physeterula''
* ''Placoziphius''
* ''Preaulophyseter''
* ''Scaldicetus''

Family incertae sedis

* ''Acrophyseter''
* ''Albicetus''
* ''Aulophyseter''
* ''Brygmophyseter''
* ''Diaphorocetus''
* ''Eudelphis''
* ''Hoplocetus'' (''nomen dubium'')
* ''Livyatan melvillei, Livyatan''
* ''Miokogia'' (''nomen dubium'')
* ''Paleophoca'' (''nomen dubium'')
* ''Prophyseter'' (''nomen dubium'')
* ''Zygophyseter''

Superfamily "Eurhinodelphinoidea"

Family Argyrocetidae

(Late Oligocene to Early Miocene)
* ''Argyrocetus''
* ''Chilcacetus''
* ''Macrodelphinus''

Family Eoplatanistidae

(Miocene)
* ''Eoplatanista''

Family Eurhinodelphinidae

(Late Oligocene to Late Miocene)

* ''Ceterhinops''
* ''Eurhinodelphis''
* ''Iniopsis''
* ''Mycteriacetus''
* ''Phocaenopsis''
* ''Schizodelphis''
* ''Vanbreenia''
* ''Xiphiacetus''
* ''Ziphiodelphis''

Superfamily Platanistoidea

* ''Aondelphis''
* ''Awamokoa''
* ''Dolgopolis''
* ''Ensidelphis''
* ''Perditicetus''
* ''Urkudelphis''

Family Allodelphinidae

(Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene)
* ''Allodelphis''
* ''Arktocara''
* ''Goedertius''
* ''Ninjadelphis''
* ''Zarhinocetus''

Family Platanistidae

(Early Miocene to Recent)
* ''Araeodelphis''
* ''Dilophodelphis''
* ''Pachyacanthus''
* ''Pomatodelphis''
* ''Prepomatodelphis''
* ''Zarhachis''

Family Squalodelphinidae

(Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene)
* ''Furcadelphis''
* ''Huaridelphis''
* ''Macrosqualodelphis''
* ''Medocinia''
* ''Notocetus''
* ''Phocageneus''
* ''Squalodelphis''

Family Squalodontidae

(Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene)
* ''Austrosqualodon''
* ''Eosqualodon''
* ''Macrophoca''
* ''Neosqualodon''
* ''Pachyodon''
* ''Phoberodon''
* ''Squalodon'' (syn. ''Kelloggia'', ''Rhizoprion'', ''Crenidelphinus'', ''Arionius'', ''Phocodon'')
* ''Smilocamptus''
* ''Tangaroasaurus''

Family Waipatiidae

(Late Oligocene to Early Miocene)
* ?''Microcetus''
* ''Otekaikea''
* ''Papahu''
* ''Sachalinocetus''
* ''Waipatia''

Superfamily Ziphioidea

Family Ziphiidae

(Miocene to Recent)

* Basal forms
** ''Aporotus''
** ''Beneziphius''
** ''Chavinziphius''
** ''Chimuziphius''
** ''Choneziphius''
** ''Dagonodum''
** ''Globicetus''
** ''Imocetus''
** ''Messapicetus''
** ''Ninoziphius''
** ''Notoziphius''
** ''Tusciziphius''
** ''Ziphirostrum''
* Subfamily Berardiinae
** ''Archaeoziphius''
** ''Microberardius''
* Subfamily Hyperoodontinae
** ''Africanacetus''
** ''Belemnoziphius''
** ''Ihlengesi''
** ''Khoikhoicetus''
** ''Mesoplodon'' (extant)
*** ''Mesoplodon, Mesoplodon posti''
*** ''Mesoplodon, Mesoplodon slangkopi''
*** ''Mesoplodon, Mesoplodon tumidirostris''
** ''Nenga (mammal), Nenga''
** ''Pterocetus''
** ''Xhosacetus''
* Subfamily Ziphiinae
** ''Caviziphius''
** ''Izikoziphius''
** ''Nazcacetus''
* Subfamily incertae sedis
** ''Anoplonassa''
** ''Cetorhynchus''
** ''Eboroziphius''
** ''Pelycorhamphus''

Clade Delphinida

Family incertae sedis

* ''Anacharsis (genus), Anacharsis''
* ''Belonodelphis''
* ''Delphinavus''
* ''Graamocetus''
* ''Hadrodelphis''
* ''Lamprolithax''
* ''Leptodelphis''
* ''Liolithax''
* ''Lophocetus''
* ''Loxolithax''
* ''Macrokentriodon''
* ''Microphocaena''
* ''Miodelphis''
* ''Nannolithax''
* ''Oedolithax''
* ''Oligodelphis''
* ''Palaeophocaena''
* ''Pithanodelphis''
* ''Platylithax''
* ''Prionodelphis''
* ''Protodelphinus''
* ''Sarmatodelphis''
* ''Sophianacetus''
* ''Tagicetus''

Superfamily Delphinoidea

=Family Albireonidae

=
(Miocene to Pliocene)
* ''Albireo (genus), Albireo''

=Family Delphinidae

=

(Oligocene to Recent)
* ''Arimidelphis''
* ''Astadelphis''
* ''Australodelphis''
* ''Delphinus'' (extant)
** ''Delphinus domeykoi''
* ''Eodelphinus''
* ''Etruridelphis''
* ''Hemisyntrachelus''
* ''Lagenorhynchus'' (extant)
** ''Lagenorhynchus harmatuki''
* ''Norisdelphis''
* ''Globicephala'' (extant)
** ''Globicephala baereckeii''
** ''Globicephala etruriae''
* ''Orcinus'' (extant)
** ''Orcinus citoniensis''
** ''Orcinus meyeri''
** ''Orcinus paleorca''
* ''Platalearostrum''
* ''Protoglobicephala''
* ''Pseudorca'' (extant)
** ''Pseudorca yokoyamai''
** ''Pseudorca yuanliensis''
* ''Septidelphis''
* ''Sinanodelphis''
* ''Stenella'' (extant)
** ''Stenella rayi''
* ''Tursiops'' (extant)
** ''Tursiops miocaenus''
** ''Tursiops osennae''

=Family Kentriodontidae

=
(Oligocene to Pliocene)

* ''Kampholophos''
* ''Kentriodon''
* ''Rudicetus''
* ''Sophianaecetus''
* ''Wimahl''
* ''Belonodelphis''?
* ''Liolithax''?

=Family Monodontidae

=
(Miocene to Recent)
* ''Bohaskaia''
* ''Casatia''
* ''Denebola (mammal), Denebola''
* ''Haborodelphis''

=Family Odobenocetopsidae

=
(Late Miocene to Early Pliocene)

* ''Odobenocetops''

=Family Phocoenidae

=
(Miocene to Recent)
* ''Archaeophocaena''
* ''Australithax''
* ''Brabocetus''
* ''Harborophocoena''
* ''Lomacetus''
* ''Miophocaena''
* ''Numataphocoena''
* ''Piscolithax''
* ''Pterophocaena''
* ''Salumiphocaena''
* ''Semirostrum''
* ''Septemtriocetus''

Superfamily Inioidea

* ''Awadelphis''
* ''Brujadelphis''
* ''Incacetus''
* ''Meherrinia''

=Family Iniidae

=
(Miocene to Recent)
* ''Goniodelphis''
* ''Hesperoinia''
* ''Ischyrorhynchus''
* ''Isthminia''
* ''Kwanzacetus''
* ''Saurocetes''

=Family Pontoporiidae

=
(Middle Miocene to Recent)
* ''Atocetus''
* ''Auroracetus''
* ''Brachydelphis''
* ''Pliopontos''
* ''Pontistes''
* ''Protophocaena''
* ''Scaldiporia''
* ''Stenasodelphis''

Superfamily Lipotoidea

=Family Lipotidae

=
(Late Miocene to Recent)
* ''Parapontoporia''

Superfamily ''incertae sedis''

* ''Delphinodon''
* ''Heterodelphis''

Family ''incertae sedis''

* ''Acrodelphis''
* ''Champsodelphis''
* ''Hesperocetus''
* ''Imerodelphis'' (Miocene)
* ''Kharthlidelphis''
* ''Lonchodelphis''
* ''Macrochirifer''
* ''Microsqualodon''
* ''Pelodelphis''
* ''Rhabdosteus'' (''nomen dubium'')
* ''Sulakocetus''

See also

* Evolution of cetaceans
* List of cetaceans
* List of prehistoric mammals
* List of extinct animals

References

{{Mammal lists

Prehistoric cetaceans, *
Cetacean-related lists, Extinct
Lists of animals, Cetaceans, extinct
Lists of extinct animals, Cetaceans
Lists of placental mammals, Cetaceans, extinct