Eurhinodelphinidae is an extinct
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
of
toothed whale
The toothed whales (also called odontocetes, systematic name Odontoceti) are a parvorder of cetaceans that includes dolphins, porpoises, and all other whales with teeth, such as beaked whales and the sperm whales. 73 species of toothed wha ...
s which lived from the
Oligocene
The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch (geology), epoch of the Paleogene Geologic time scale, Period that extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that defin ...
to the
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...
.
Members of the family possessed an elongated jaw similar in appearance to a swordfish.
Taxonomy
*Family Eurhinodelphinidae
**''
Ceterhinops''
**''
Eurhinodelphis
''Eurhinodelphis'' ("well-nosed dolphin") is an extinct genus of Miocene cetacean. Its fossils have been found in Belgium, France, and Maryland.
Species
Currently-valid species are:
* ''E. cocheuteuxi''
* ''E. longirostris''
Former species inc ...
''
**''
Iniopsis''
**''
Mycteriacetus
''Mycteriacetus'' is an extinct genus of dolphin from the Early Miocene (Burdigalian) of northeastern Italy. The type species is ''M. bellunensis''.
Etymology
''Mycteriacetus'' is named after the Yellow-billed stork (''Mycteria ibis'') because t ...
''
** ''
Phocaenopsis''
**''
Schizodelphis''
**''
Vanbreenia''
**''
Xiphiacetus''
**''
Ziphiodelphis''
References
Prehistoric toothed whales
Prehistoric mammal families
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