Microcetus
Extinct genus of mammals
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Microcetus is a genus of extinct odontocete from the late Oligocene (Chattian) of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany.
| Microcetus Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Infraorder: | Cetacea |
| Family: | †Waipatiidae (?) |
| Genus: | †Microcetus Kellogg, 1923 |
| Species | |
| |
Taxonomy
The type species of Microcetus, M. ambiguus, was originally described as a new species of Phoca on the basis of teeth from late Oligocene deposits in northwestern Germany.[1] The odontocete nature of the teeth was eventually recognized, and it was eventually assigned to Squalodon,[2][3] before being made the type species of a new genus, Microcetus.[4]
Misassigned species
- Microcetus hectori Benham, 1935 = Waipatia hectori
- Microcetus sharkovi Dubrovo and Sharkov, 1971[5] = likely a distinct genus, but affinities uncertain[6][7]