''Xenorophus'' is a genus of primitive odontocete from late Oligocene (

Chattian The Chattian is, in the geologic timescale, the younger of two ages or upper of two stages of the Oligocene Epoch/Series. It spans the time between . The Chattian is preceded by the Rupelian and is followed by the Aquitanian (the lowest stage ...

) marine deposits in South Carolina belonging to Xenorophidae.

Classification

''Xenorophus'' was originally described on the basis of a skull from the

Chandler Bridge Formation The Chandler Bridge Formation is a geologic formation in South Carolina. It preserves fossils dating back to the Chattian (Late Oligocene) of the Paleogene period, corresponding to the Arikareean in the NALMA classification.

of South Carolina in the collections of the USNM. Later authors, but also Remington Kellogg who described the genus, classified it in the family Agorophiidae, which eventually became a repository for primitive odontocetes. Whitmore and Sanders (1977) and Fordyce (1981), however, preferred to treat ''Xenorophus'' as Odontoceti ''incertae sedis''. A cladistic analysis by Mark Uhen published in 2008 recognized ''Xenorophus'' as belonging with '' Archaeodelphis'' and '' Albertodelphis'' in an odontocete clade more primitive than ''

Agorophius ''Agorophius'' is an extinct genus of toothed whale that lived during the Oligocene period, approximately , in the waters off what is now South Carolina. Taxonomy The holotype of ''Agorophius pygmaeus'', MCZ 8761, was first mentioned in an 1848 ...

'' or ''

Simocetus ''Simocetus'' (from ''simus'', "pug-nosed", and ''cetus'', "whale") is an extinct genus of toothed whale that lived during the Oligocene period, approximately , making it the oldest named toothed whale, although older unnamed toothed whales exist ...

'', and named it Xenorophidae.

Paleobiology

''Xenorophus'' was capable of echolocation like modern dolphins, judging from the cranial features of two other xenorophids, ''

Echovenator ''Echovenator'' ("echolocation hunter") is a genus of primitive odontocete from late Oligocene (Chattian) marine deposits in South Carolina belonging to Xenorophidae. Description and paleobiology ''Echovenator'' is distinguishable from other xen ...

'' and ''

Cotylocara ''Cotylocara'' is a genus of primitive odontocete from late Oligocene (Chattian) marine deposits of the Chandler Bridge Formation of South Carolina belonging to Xenorophidae Xenorophidae is an extinct family of odontocetes currently known fro ...

'' and from the shape of its own skull. It had an estimated body length of .

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q48998572 Oligocene cetaceans Fossil taxa described in 1923