Pomatodelphis

Pomatodelphis Temporal range: Middle Miocene ~15.97–7.25  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Reconstructed P. inaequalis skeleton, Florida Museum of Natural History
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Suborder:	Whippomorpha
Infraorder:	Cetacea
Family:	Platanistidae
Subfamily:	† Pomatodelphininae
Genus:	† Pomatodelphis Allen, 1921
Type species
†Pomatodelphis inaequalis Allen, 1921
Species
P. bobengi P. inaequalis P. stenorhynchus

Pomatodelphis is an extinct genus of river dolphin from Middle Miocene marine deposits in Alabama, Maryland, Florida, Brazil, Germany, and France. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]}

Etymology

Pomatodelphis may be a typo for potamodelphis ("river dolphin") ^[6] from potamo- , "river", and δελφίς , delphis "dolphin".

Classification

Pomatodelphis belongs to the platanistid subfamily Pomatodelphininae, which is distinguished from the South Asian river dolphin in having a flattened rostrum, a transversely expanded posterior end of the premaxilla, an eye and bony orbit of normal size (not atrophied), and nasal bones not reduced in size but wide transversely. A close relative of Pomatodelphis is Prepomatodelphis from marine deposits in Austria. Three species are known, P. inaequalis, P. bobengi, and P. stenorhynchus. ^[7]

Fossil skull of P. bobengi

Fossil distribution

Fossils of Pomatodelphis have been found in: ^{[1] [6]}

• Citronelle Formation (Hemphillian), Alabama
• Solimões Formation (Huayquerian), Brazil
• Marks Head, Peace River and Statenhead Formations, Florida
• France
• Germany

References

• Paleontology portal
• Prehistoric mammals portal

1. "Fossilworks: Pomatodelphis". fossilworks.org. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
2. "Pomatodelphis inaequalis". Florida Vertebrate Fossils. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
3. Hulbert, Richard C.; Whitmore, Frank C. (2006-06-01). "Late Miocene mammals from the Mauvilla local fauna, Alabama" . Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History. 46 (1): 1–28. doi:10.58782/flmnh.xcpo4034. ISSN   0071-6154.
4. "(PDF) River Dolphins, Evolution". ResearchGate. Archived from the original on 2022-12-12. Retrieved 2025-05-06.
5. Allen, Glover M. (1921). "Fossil Cetaceans from the Florida Phosphate Beds". Journal of Mammalogy. 2 (3): 144–159. doi:10.2307/1373603. ISSN   0022-2372.
6. Manz, Carly (31 March 2017). "Pomatodelphis inaequalis". Florida Museum of Natural History. Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
7. Barnes, L.G., 2006. A Phylogenetic Analysis of the Superfamily Platanistoidea (Mammalia, Cetacea, Odontoceti). Beitr. Palaont., 30:25-42.