Echovenator

Echovenator ("echolocation hunter") is a genus of primitive odontocete from late Oligocene (Chattian) marine deposits in South Carolina. It belongs to the Xenorophidae.^[1]

Echovenator Temporal range: Late Oligocene, 28.4–23.0 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Suborder:	Whippomorpha
Infraorder:	Cetacea
Family:	†Xenorophidae
Genus:	†Echovenator Churchill et al., 2016
Species:	†E. sandersi
Binomial name
†Echovenator sandersi Churchill et al., 2016

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]