''Pomatodelphis'' is an extinct

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 river dolphin from Middle Miocene marine deposits in Alabama, Florida, Brazil, Germany and France.

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''.

Fossil distribution

Fossils of ''Pomatodelphis'' have been found in: * Citronelle Formation (

Hemphillian The Hemphillian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 10,300,000 to 4,900,000 years BP. It is usually considered ...

), Alabama *

Solimões Formation The Pebas Formation is a lithostratigraphic unit of Miocene age, found in western Amazonia. The formation extends over , including parts of Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.Wesselingh et al., 2006 It is interpreted as representing the deposits ...

(

Huayquerian The Huayquerian ( es, Huayqueriense) age is a period of geologic time (9.0–6.8 Ma) within the Late Miocene epoch of the Neogene, used more specifically within the SALMA classification. It follows the Mayoan and precedes the Montehermosan age. ...

), Brazil * Marks Head,

Peace River The Peace River (french: links=no, rivière de la Paix) is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River joins the Athabasca River in th ...

and Statenhead Formations, Florida * France * Germany

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q55630234 River dolphins Miocene cetaceans Miocene mammals of Europe Neogene France Fossils of France Neogene Germany Fossils of Germany Miocene mammals of North America Neogene United States Hemphillian Fossils of the United States Miocene mammals of South America Neogene Brazil Huayquerian Fossils of Brazil Fossil taxa described in 1921