Denebola brachycephala
Extinct species of whale related to belugas
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Denebola is an extinct genus of whale belonging to the family Monodontidae. It contains a single known species, Denebola brachycephala. It is the earliest known ancestor of the beluga, Delphinapterus leucas, and dates from the Upper Miocene period.[2] A fossil was found in the Baja California peninsula, indicating that the family once existed in warmer waters.[3]
| Denebola brachycephala Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| |
| D. brachycephala and Praekogia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Infraorder: | Cetacea |
| Family: | Monodontidae |
| Genus: | †Denebola Barnes, 1984 |
| Species: | †D. brachycephala |
| Binomial name | |
| †Denebola brachycephala Barnes, 1984[1] | |