Pomatodelphis Explained

Pomatodelphis is an extinct genus of river dolphin from Middle Miocene marine deposits in Alabama, Florida, Brazil, Germany and France.^[1]

Etymology

Pomatodelphis may be a typo for potamodelphis ("river dolphin") from, "river", and, "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.^[2]

Fossil distribution

Fossils of Pomatodelphis have been found in:^{[1] [3]}

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

Notes and References

1. Web site: Fossilworks: Pomatodelphis. fossilworks.org. 2021-12-17. 2021-12-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20211212200359/http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=36819. live.
2. Barnes, L.G., 2006. A Phylogenetic Analysis of the Superfamily Platanistoidea (Mammalia, Cetacea, Odontoceti). Beitr. Palaont., 30:25-42.
3. Web site: Manz . Carly . Pomatodelphis inaequalis . Florida Museum of Natural History . 31 March 2017 . University of Florida . 8 February 2021 . Gainesville, Florida.