Cotylocara

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Cotylocara
Temporal range: Late Oligocene, 28.4–23.0  Ma
Cotylocara macei.jpg
Life restoration
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Xenorophidae
Genus: Cotylocara
Geisler et al., 2014
Species:
C. macei
Binomial name
Cotylocara macei
Geisler et al., 2014 (type)

Cotylocara is a genus of primitive odontocete from late Oligocene (Chattian) marine deposits of the Chandler Bridge Formation of South Carolina. It belongs to the Xenorophidae.

Paleobiology

Cotylocara was capable of echolocation like modern dolphins, as evidenced by its dense, thick and downturned rostrum, air sac fossae, cranial asymmetry, and exceptionally broad maxillae. [1]

Cotylocara anterolateral at Mace Brown Museum of Natural History Cotylocara anterolateral.jpg
Cotylocara anterolateral at Mace Brown Museum of Natural History

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References

  1. Jonathan H. Geisler, Matthew W. Colbert, James L. Carew., 2014: A new fossil species supports an early origin for toothed whale echolocation.Nature. doi:10.1038/nature13086