List of extinct cetaceans

For current cetaceans, see List of cetaceans.

The list of extinct cetaceans features the extinct genera and species of the order Cetacea. The cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) are descendants of land-living mammals, the even-toed ungulates. The earliest cetaceans were still hoofed mammals. These early cetaceans became gradually better adapted for swimming than for walking on land, finally evolving into fully marine cetaceans.

This list currently includes only fossil genera and species. However, the Atlantic population of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) became extinct in the 18th century, and the baiji (or Chinese river dolphin, Lipotes vexillifer) was declared "functionally extinct" after an expedition in late 2006 failed to find any in the Yangtze River.

Suborder Archaeoceti

Family Ambulocetidae

(Eocene)

Dorudon

• Ambulocetus
• Himalayacetus
• Gandakasia

Family Basilosauridae

(Late Eocene)

• Tutcetus
• Perucetus

Basilosaurus cetoides reconstruction

• Basilosaurinae
  • Basilosaurus
  • Basiloterus
  • Eocetus
• Pachycetinae
  • Antaecetus
  • Pachycetus
• Dorudontinae
  • Ancalecetus
  • Chrysocetus
  • Cynthiacetus
  • Dorudon
  • Masracetus
  • Ocucajea
  • Saghacetus
  • Supayacetus
  • Zygorhiza
  • Stromerius^[1]

Family Kekenodontidae

(Oligocene)

• Kekenodon
• Tohoraonepu ^[2]

Family Pakicetidae

(Early to Middle Eocene)

Ambulocetus skeleton in front and Pakicetus behind

• Gandakasia
• Pakicetus
• Nalacetus
• Ichthyolestes

Family Protocetidae

(Eocene)

Rhodocetus kasrani reconstruction

• Georgiacetinae
  • Aegicetus
  • Babiacetus
  • Carolinacetus
  • Georgiacetus
  • Natchitochia

    

    Maiacetus skeleton

  • Pappocetus
  • Pontobasileus
  • Tupelocetus
• Makaracetinae
  • Makaracetus
• Protocetinae
  • Aegyptocetus
  • Artiocetus^[3]
  • Crenatocetus
  • Dhedacetus^[4]
  • Gaviacetus
  • Indocetus

    

    Kutchicetus minimus reconstruction

  • Kharodacetus^[4]
  • Maiacetus
  • Peregocetus
  • Protocetus
  • Qaisracetus
  • Rodhocetus
  • Takracetus
  • Togocetus^[5]

Family Remingtonocetidae

(Eocene)

• Andrewsiphius
• Attockicetus
• Dalanistes
• Kutchicetus
• Rayanistes^[6]
• Remingtonocetus

Suborder Mysticeti

Family Llanocetidae

(Late Eocene-Early Oligocene)

• Llanocetus
• Mystacodon

Family Mammalodontidae

(jr synonym Janjucetidae)

Janjucetus hunderi

(Late Oligocene)

• Janjucetus
• Mammalodon

Family incertae sedis

• Borealodon
• Coronodon^[7]

Clade Kinetomenta

Family Aetiocetidae

(Oligocene)

Aetiocetus restoration

• Aetiocetus
• Ashorocetus
• Chonecetus
• Fucaia^[8]
• Morawanocetus
• Niparajacetus
• Salishicetus
• Willungacetus

Clade Chaeomysticeti

• Atlanticetus^[9]

Family incertae sedis

• Horopeta
• Maiabalaena
• Sitsqwayk
• Tlaxcallicetus
• Toipahautea
• Whakakai

Superfamily Eomysticetoidea

Family Cetotheriopsidae

(Oligocene to Miocene)

• Cetotheriopsis

Family Eomysticetidae

(Oligocene to early Miocene)

• Echericetus^[10]
• Eomysticetus
• Matapanui
• Micromysticetus
• Tohoraata
• Tokarahia
• Waharoa
• Yamatocetus

Family Aglaocetidae

(Miocene)

• Aglaocetus

Superfamily Balaenoidea

Family Balaenidae

(Miocene to Recent)

• Antwerpibalaena
• Archaeobalaena^[11]
• Balaena
  • Balaena affinis
  • Balaena arcuata
  • Balaena larteti
  • Balaena macrocephalus
  • Balaena montalionis
  • Balaena ricei
• Balaenella
• Balaenotus
• Balaenula
• Charadrobalaena^[12]
• Eubalaena (extant)
  • Eubalaena ianitrix
  • Eubalaena shinshuensis
• Idiocetus
• Peripolocetus
• Protobalaena

Family incertae sedis

• Morenocetus

Clade Thalassotherii

• Cetotheriomorphus
• Heterocetus
• Imerocetus
• Isocetus
• Notiocetus
• Otradnocetus
• Palaeobalaena
• Rhegnopsis

Family Cetotheriidae

(Miocene - Pliocene)

Classification follows Steeman (2007) unless otherwise noted.^[13]

Cetotherium restoration

• Adicetus^[14]
• Brandtocetus
• Cephalotropis
• Cetotherium
• Ciuciulea
• Eucetotherium
• Halicetus
• Herentalia
• Herpetocetus
• Hibacetus^[15]
• Joumocetus
• Kurdalagonus
• Metopocetus
• Mithridatocetus
• Nannocetus

  

  Parietobalaena palmeri skull

• Piscobalaena
• Thinocetus
• Titanocetus^[16]
• Tiucetus
• Vampalus
• Zygiocetus^[17]

Family Diorocetidae

(Miocene to Pliocene)

• Amphicetus
• Diorocetus
• Plesiocetopsis
• Uranocetus

Family Neobalaenidae

(Miocene to Recent)

• Miocaperea

Family Pelocetidae

(Miocene)

• Cophocetus
• Parietobalaena
• Pelocetus

Family incertae sedis

• Isanacetus
• Pinocetus
• Mauicetus
• Taikicetus
• Tiphyocetus

Superfamily Balaenopteroidea

Eobalaenoptera skeleton

• Eobalaenoptera

Family Balaenopteridae

(Miocene to Recent)

• Archaebalaenoptera
• Balaenoptera (extant)
  • Balaenoptera bertae^[18]
  • Balaenoptera cephalus
  • Balaenoptera colcloughi
  • Balaenoptera davidsonii
  • Balaenoptera siberi
  • Balaenoptera sursiplana
  • Balaenoptera taiwanica
• "Balaenoptera" cortesii
• "Balaenoptera" portisi
• "Balaenoptera" ryani
• Burtinopsis
• Cetotheriophanes
• Fragilicetus^[19]
• Incakujira
• Marzanoptera^[20]
• Miobalaenoptera
• Norrisanima
• Nehalaennia
• Parabalaenoptera
• Plesiobalaenoptera
• Plesiocetus
• Praemegaptera
• Protororqualus

Family Eschrichtiidae

(Miocene to Recent)

• Archaeschrichtius
• Eschrichtioides
• Gricetoides
• Megapteropsis

Family Tranatocetidae

• Mesocetus
• Mixocetus^[21]
• Tranatocetus

Family incertae sedis

• Mioceta (nomen dubium)
• Piscocetus
• Siphonocetus (nomen dubium)
• Tretulias (nomen dubium)
• Ulias (nomen dubium)

Suborder Odontoceti

Basal forms

Family Agorophiidae

(Early Oligocene)

• Agorophius

Family Ashleycetidae

(Early Oligocene)

• Ashleycetus

Family Patriocetidae

(Oligocene to Early Miocene)

• Patriocetus

Family Simocetidae

(Early Oligocene)

• Simocetus

Family Xenorophidae

(Late Oligocene)

• Albertocetus
• Archaeodelphis
• Cotylocara
• Echovenator^[22]
• Inermorostrum
• Mirocetus
• Xenorophus

Family Inticetidae

• Inticetus
• Phococetus

Family Microzeuglodontidae

• Microzeuglodon

Family Squaloziphiidae

(Late Oligocene to Early Miocene)

• Squaloziphius
• Yaquinacetus

Family incertae sedis

• Ankylorhiza
• Agriocetus
• Atropatenocetus
• Ediscetus
• Olympicetus
• Saurocetus

Superfamily Squalodontoidea

Family Dalpiazinidae

(Late Oligocene to Miocene)

• Dalpiazina

Family Prosqualodontidae

(Late Oligocene-Middle Miocene)

• Parasqualodon^[23]
• Prosqualodon

Superfamily Physeteroidea

Family Kogiidae

(Miocene to recent)

• Aprixokogia
• Kogia (extant)
  • Kogia pusilla
  • Kogia danomurai
• Kogiopsis
• Koristocetus
• Nanokogia
• Platyscaphokogia^[24]
• Pliokogia
• Praekogia
• Scaphokogia
• Thalassocetus

Family Physeteridae

• Cozzuoliphyseter^[25]
• Eophyseter^[26]
• Ferecetotherium
• Idiophyseter
• Idiorophus
• Orycterocetus
• Physeterula
• Placoziphius
• Preaulophyseter
• Scaldicetus

Family incertae sedis

• Acrophyseter
• Albicetus
• Aulophyseter^[27]
• Brygmophyseter
• Diaphorocetus
• Eudelphis
• Hoplocetus (nomen dubium)
• Livyatan^[28]
• Miokogia (nomen dubium)
• Paleophoca (nomen dubium)
• Prophyseter (nomen dubium)
• Rhaphicetus^[29]
• Zygophyseter

Superfamily "Eurhinodelphinoidea"

Family Argyrocetidae

(Late Oligocene to Early Miocene)

• Argyrocetus
• Chilcacetus
• Macrodelphinus

Family Eoplatanistidae

(Miocene)

• Eoplatanista

Family Eurhinodelphinidae

(Late Oligocene to Late Miocene)

Macrodelphinus & Eurhinodelphis

• Ceterhinops
• Eurhinodelphis
• Iniopsis
• Mycteriacetus
• Phocaenopsis
• Schizodelphis
• Vanbreenia
• Xiphiacetus
• Ziphiodelphis

Superfamily Platanistoidea

• Aondelphis
• Awamokoa^[30]
• Dolgopolis
• Ensidelphis
• Perditicetus
• Urkudelphis

Family Allodelphinidae

(Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene)

• Allodelphis
• Arktocara
• Goedertius^[31]
• Ninjadelphis^[31]
• Zarhinocetus

Life reconstruction of Arktocara yakataga

Family Platanistidae

(Early Miocene to Recent)

• Araeodelphis
• Dilophodelphis
• Pachyacanthus
• Pomatodelphis
• Prepomatodelphis
• Zarhachis

Family Squalodelphinidae

(Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene)

• Furcacetus ^[32]
• Furcadelphis
• Huaridelphis^[33]
• Macrosqualodelphis
• Medocinia
• Notocetus
• Phocageneus
• Squalodelphis

Family Squalodontidae

(Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene)

• Austrosqualodon
• Eosqualodon
• Macrophoca
• Neosqualodon
• Pachyodon
• Phoberodon
• Squalodon (syn. Kelloggia, Rhizoprion, Crenidelphinus, Arionius, Phocodon)
• Smilocamptus
• Tangaroasaurus

Family Waipatiidae

(Late Oligocene to Early Miocene)

•  ?Microcetus
• Otekaikea
• Papahu^[34]
• Sachalinocetus
• Waipatia

Superfamily Ziphioidea

Family Ziphiidae

(Miocene to Recent)

• Basal forms
  • Aporotus
  • Beneziphius
  • Chavinziphius
  • Chimuziphius
  • Choneziphius
  • Dagonodum
  • Globicetus
  • Imocetus
  • Messapicetus
  • Ninoziphius
  • Notoziphius
  • Tusciziphius
  • Ziphirostrum
• Subfamily Berardiinae
  • Archaeoziphius
  • Microberardius
• Subfamily Hyperoodontinae
  • Africanacetus
  • Belemnoziphius
  • Ihlengesi
  • Khoikhoicetus
  • Mesoplodon (extant)
    • Mesoplodon posti^[35]
    • Mesoplodon slangkopi^[36]
    • Mesoplodon tumidirostris^[37]
  • Nenga
  • Pterocetus
  • Xhosacetus
• Subfamily Ziphiinae
  • Caviziphius
  • Izikoziphius
  • Nazcacetus
• Subfamily incertae sedis
  • Anoplonassa
  • Cetorhynchus
  • Eboroziphius
  • Pelycorhamphus

Clade Delphinida

Family incertae sedis

• Anacharsis
• Belonodelphis
• Delphinavus
• Graamocetus
• Hadrodelphis
• Lamprolithax
• Leptodelphis
• Liolithax
• Lophocetus
• Loxolithax
• Macrokentriodon
• Microphocaena
• Miodelphis
• Nannolithax
• Oedolithax
• Oligodelphis
• Palaeophocaena
• Pithanodelphis
• Platylithax
• Prionodelphis
• Protodelphinus
• Sarmatodelphis
• Sophianacetus
• Tagicetus

Superfamily Delphinoidea

Family Albireonidae

(Miocene to Pliocene)

• Albireo

Family Delphinidae

Etruridelphis giulii

(Oligocene to Recent)

• Arimidelphis
• Astadelphis
• Australodelphis
• Delphinus (extant)
  • Delphinus domeykoi
• Eodelphinus
• Etruridelphis
• Hemisyntrachelus
• Lagenorhynchus (extant)
  • Lagenorhynchus harmatuki
• Norisdelphis
• Globicephala (extant)
  • Globicephala baereckeii
  • Globicephala etruriae
• Orcinus (extant)
  • Orcinus citoniensis
  • Orcinus meyeri
  • Orcinus paleorca
• Platalearostrum^[38]
• Protoglobicephala
• Pseudorca (extant)
  • Pseudorca yokoyamai
  • Pseudorca yuanliensis
• Septidelphis^[39]
• Sinanodelphis
• Stenella (extant)
  • Stenella rayi
• Tursiops (extant)
  • Tursiops miocaenus
  • Tursiops osennae

Family Kentriodontidae

(Oligocene to Pliocene)

Kentriodon reconstruction

• Kampholophos
• Kentriodon
• Rudicetus
• Sophianaecetus
• Wimahl
• Belonodelphis?
• Liolithax?

Family Monodontidae

(Miocene to Recent)

• Bohaskaia
• Casatia
• Denebola
• Haborodelphis

Family Odobenocetopsidae

(Late Miocene to Early Pliocene)

Odobenocetops reconstruction

• Odobenocetops

Family Phocoenidae

(Miocene to Recent)

• Archaeophocaena
• Australithax
• Brabocetus
• Harborophocoena
• Lomacetus
• Miophocaena
• Numataphocoena
• Piscolithax
• Pterophocaena
• Salumiphocaena
• Semirostrum^[40]
• Septemtriocetus

Superfamily Inioidea

• Awadelphis
• Brujadelphis
• Incacetus
• Meherrinia

Family Iniidae

(Miocene to Recent)

• Goniodelphis
• Hesperoinia
• Ischyrorhynchus
• Isthminia
• Kwanzacetus
• Saurocetes

Family Pontoporiidae

(Middle Miocene to Recent)

• Atocetus
• Auroracetus
• Brachydelphis
• Pliopontos
• Pontistes
• Protophocaena
• Samaydelphis^[41]
• Scaldiporia
• Stenasodelphis

Superfamily Lipotoidea

Family Lipotidae

(Late Miocene to Recent)

• Parapontoporia

Superfamily incertae sedis

• Delphinodon
• Heterodelphis

Family incertae sedis

• Acrodelphis
• Champsodelphis
• Hesperocetus
• Imerodelphis (Miocene)
• Kharthlidelphis
• Lonchodelphis
• Macrochirifer
• Microsqualodon
• Pelodelphis
• Rhabdosteus (nomen dubium)
• Sulakocetus

See also

• Cetaceans portal

• Evolution of cetaceans
• List of cetaceans
• List of prehistoric mammals
• Lists of extinct species