Dalanistes

Dalanistes
Dalanistes
Temporal range: Middle Eocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Suborder: Archaeoceti
Family: Remingtonocetidae
Genus: Dalanistes
Gingerich et al. (1995)
Species
  • D. ahmedi

Dalanistes is an extinct genus of early carnivorous freshwater aquatic mammals of the family Remingtonocetidae endemic to the coastline of the ancient Tethys Ocean during the Eocene living from 48.6—37.2 mya, existing for approximately 11.4 million years.[1]

Contents

Taxonomy

Dalanistes was named by Gingerich et al. (1995)[2]. Its type is Dalanistes ahmedi. It was considered monophyletic by Uhen (2010). It was assigned to Remingtonocetidae by Gingerich et al. (1995), McKenna and Bell (1997)[3], Williams (1998), Thewissen et al. (2001), Gingerich et al. (2001), Geisler and Sanders (2003)[4], McLeod and Barnes (2008) and Uhen (2010).

Morphology

Dalanistes had four working and usable limbs, a slender whale-like body with long tail and slender, hydrodynamic head.

Fossil distribution

Three specimens were found in north central Pakistan and near the coastal border of Pakistan and India.

See also

Portal icon Cetaceans portal
Portal icon Paleontology portal

References

  1. ^ PaleoBiology Database: Dalanistes, basic info
  2. ^ P. D. Gingerich, M. Arif, and W. C. Clyde. 1995. New archaeocetes (Mammalia, Cetacea) from the Middle Eocene Domanda Formation of the Sulaiman Range, Punjab (Pakistan). Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan 29(11):291-330
  3. ^ M. C. McKenna and S. K. Bell. 1997. Classification of Mammals Above the Species Level 1-640
  4. ^ J. H. Geisler and A. E. Sanders. 2003. Morphological Evidence for the Phylogeny of Cetacea. Journal of Mammalian Evolution 10(1/2):23-129

External links


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