Macrodelphinus

Macrodelphinus is an extinct genus of primitive odontocete known from Early Miocene marine deposits in California.

Macrodelphinus Temporal range: Early Miocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Macrodelphinus and Eurhinodelphis.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Suborder:	Whippomorpha
Infraorder:	Cetacea
Family:	†Eurhinodelphinidae
Genus:	†Macrodelphinus Wilson 1935
Species:	†M. kelloggi
Binomial name
†Macrodelphinus kelloggi Wilson 1935

Biology

Macrodelphinus was an orca-sized odontocete similar to members of Eurhinodelphinidae in having a swordfish-like rostrum and upper jaw. Because of its size, and inch-long teeth, it is believed to have been an apex predator.

Classification

Macrodelphinus is known from a fragmentary skull from the Early Miocene Jewett Sand Formation of Kern County, southern California.^[1] Although often classified as a member of Eurhinodelphinidae, the cladistic analysis of Chilcacetus recovers it outside Eurhinodelphinidae, less advanced than Eoplatanista.^[2] The Miocene species "Champsodelphis" valenciennesii Brandt, 1873, based on a rostrum fragment from marine sediments in Landes, France, was assigned to Macrodelphinus by Kellogg (1944).^[3]