Raoellidae

Taxobox
name = Raoellidae

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image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Indohyus"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Artiodactyla
subordo = Suina
familia = Raoellidae
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision =
* "Haqueina"
* "Indohyus"
* "Khirtharia"
* "Kunmunella"
* "Raoella"
* "Metkatius"

Previously grouped with Helohyidae, Raoellidae is now a family in the Suborder Suina. It is found in Eocene of South and Southeast Asia.

A December 2007 article in [http://www.nature.com Nature] by [http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature06343 Thewissen et al.] using an exceptionally complete skeleton of Indohyus from Kashmir indicates that raoellids are the "missing link" sister group to whales (Cetacea). All other Artiodactyla are "cousins" of these two groups. δO¹⁸ values and osteosclerotic bones indicate that the racoon-like Indohyus was habitutually aquatic, but δC¹³ values suggest that it rarely fed in the water. The authors suggest this documents an intermediate step in the transition back to water completed by the whales.

Taxonomy

*"Raoella"
**"Raoella dograi"
*"Haqueina"
**"Haqueina haquei"
*"Indohyus"
**"Indohyus indirae"
**"Indohyus major"
*"Kunmunella"
**"Kunmunella kalakotensis"
**"Kunmunella transversa"
*"Metkatius"
**"Metkatius kashmiriensis"
*"Khirtharia"
**"Khirtharia aurea"
**"Khirtharia dayi"
**"Khirtharia inflatus"