''Cetotheriopsis'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of extinct

cetacea Cetacea (; , ) is an infraorder of aquatic mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Key characteristics are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size and exclusively carnivorous diet. They propel them ...

ns of the family Cetotheriopsidae.

Taxonomy

The type species of this genus, ''C. lintianus'', was originally described as a species of '' Balaenodon'' (a genus of extinct sperm whale) by German paleontologist Hermann von Meyer. It was eventually recognized as distinct from the type species of ''Balaenodon'', and it was given the new generic name ''Stenodon''. However, it was later renamed ''Cetotheriopsis'' because ''Stenodon'' had already been used for a gastropod by

Constantine Samuel Rafinesque Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz (; October 22, 1783September 18, 1840) was a French 19th-century polymath born near Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire and self-educated in France. He traveled as a young man in the United States, ultimat ...

in 1818. For his part,

Pierre-Joseph van Beneden Pierre-Joseph van Beneden FRS FRSE FGS FZS (19 December 1809 – 8 January 1894) was a Belgian zoologist and paleontologist. Life Born in Mechelen, Belgium, he studied medicine at the State University of Leuven, and studied zoology in Paris unde ...

coined ''Aulocetus'' as a replacement name for ''Stenodon'', unaware of the earlier replacement name. Since ''Cetotheriopsis'' has priority over ''Aulocetus'' and both were based on the same type species, ''Aulocetus'' is a junior objective synonym of ''Cetotheriopsis''.

Misassigned species

''Aulocetus sammarinensis'' was formerly assigned to this genus, but is now recognized as a distinct genus, ''

Titanocetus ''Titanocetus'' ("Titano whale") is a genus of extinct cetaceans closely related to the family Cetotheriidae. Discovery The fossil remains of ''Titanocetus'' were discovered within some marine deposits dating back to the Serravallian (middle Mio ...

''. Two other species from Italy assigned to ''Cetotheriopsis'', ''Aulocetus lovisati'' and ''A. calaritanus'', are also generically distinct and in need of new generic names. ''Aulocetus latus'', known from a Tortonian-age formation in Portugal, is in need of the new generic name.Joseph J. El Adli, Thomas A. Deméré and Robert W. Boessenecker (2014). "Herpetocetus morrowi (Cetacea: Mysticeti), a new species of diminutive baleen whale from the Upper Pliocene (Piacenzian) of California, USA, with observations on the evolution and relationships of the Cetotheriidae". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 170 (2): 400–466. doi:10.1111/zoj.12108.

References

Baleen whales Miocene cetaceans Prehistoric mammals of Europe Prehistoric cetacean genera Fossil taxa described in 1871 {{Paleo-whale-stub