Echovenator
| Echovenator Temporal range: Late Oligocene,
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|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Infraorder: | Cetacea |
| Family: | †Xenorophidae |
| Genus: | † Churchill et al., 2016 |
| Species: | †E. sandersi
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| Binomial name | |
| †Echovenator sandersi Churchill et al., 2016
| |
Echovenator ("echolocation hunter") is a genus of primitive odontocete from late Oligocene (Chattian) marine deposits in South Carolina. It belongs to the Xenorophidae.[1]
Description and paleobiology
Echovenator is distinguishable from other xenorophids in having a paranaris fossa and fused fronto-nasal and maxillo-premaxillary sutures.[2] The earbone structure shows that this odontocete was clearly capable of echolocation.[2]
References
- ^ Lazaro, Enrico de (2016-08-08). "Echovenator sandersi: Oligocene Whale Had Ultrasonic Hearing | Paleontology | Sci-News.com". Sci.News: Breaking Science News. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
- ^ a b Churchill, M.; Martinez-Caceres, M.; et al. (2016). "The origin of high-frequency hearing in whales". Current Biology. 26 (16): 2144–2149. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2016.06.004. PMID 27498568..