Squalodelphis

Squalodelphis is an extinct genus of river dolphin from the early Miocene belonging to Squalodelphinidae, containing only its type species Squalodelphis fabianii.^[1] Known remains have been found in Italy and Germany.^[2][1]

Squalodelphis Temporal range: 23.0–20.4 Ma[1] PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Skull of Squalodelphis fabianii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Infraorder:	Cetacea
Family:	†Squalodelphinidae
Genus:	†Squalodelphis Dal Piaz, 1917
Species:	†S. fabianii
Binomial name
†Squalodelphis fabianii Dal Piaz, 1917

Taxonomy

Squalodelphis is the type genus of the family Squalodelphinidae, which also includes the genera Huaridelphis, Notocetus, Phocageneus, Macrosqualodelphis, Medocinia, and Furcacetus.^[3] Throughout its history, it has been moved several times between Squalodelphinidae (previously Squalodelphidae) and Ziphiidae.

Description

Squalodelphis differs from Huaridelphis and Macrosqualodelphis in having a dorsal opening of the mesorostral groove broader than that of the premaxilla in the rostral base and lower tooth count, and from Macrosqualodelphis in having a transversely narrower nuchal crest as well as the left and right frontals being of unequal length at the vertex.^[4]

Distribution

The type species of Squaloziphius, S. fabianii, is known from the Libano sandstone formation, in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy.^[2][5] Fossils have also been found in the Baltringen region of Germany.^[1]