- Orcinus citoniensis
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Orcinus citoniensis 
Fossil of Orcinus citoniensis in the Museo Capellini di Bologna Conservation status FossilScientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Cetacea Suborder: Odontoceti Family: Delphinidae Genus: Orcinus Species: O. citoniensis Binomial name Orcinus citoniensis
Capellini, 1883Orcinus citoniensis is an extinct species of whale belonging to the family Delphinidae that lived from 2 to 5 million years ago in the Pliocene.[1]
The species was related to the modern killer whale. Was described based on an incomplete skull found in Italy, which lacks the rear and left side, but had the back side. Had 14 teeth in each jaw, more numerous than the current orca.[2] This specimen could be 4 metres long and had the appearance of a small killer whale, so it could be a transitional species between early dolphins and the modern killer whale.[3]
References
- ^ "Orcinus citoniensis". The Paleobioly Database. June 2005. http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=63830. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ G. Capellini. (1883). "Di Un'Orca fossile scoperta a cetona in Toscana" (in italiano). Memorie dell'Accademia delle Scienze dell'Instituto di Bologna 4: 665–687.
- ^ Heyning, J., M. Dahlheim. (1998). Orcinus orca. 304. American Society of Mamalogist. pp. 1–9. http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/VHAYSSEN/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-304-01-0001.pdf. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
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