Kekenodontidae is an extinct family of non-neocete pelagicetes from the Late Oligocene (Chattian) of New Zealand.[1] Although at times classified as basal mysticetes or basal odontocetes, recent cladistic analyses demonstrate that kekenodontids are phylogenetically intermediate between basilosaurids and neocetes.[1][2]

Kekenodontidae
Temporal range: Late Oligocene
Teeth of Kekenodon onamata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Informal group: Archaeoceti
Family: Kekenodontidae
Mitchell, 1989
Genera

References edit

  1. ^ a b Corrie, Joshua E.; Fordyce, R. Ewan (2022). "A redescription and re-evaluation of Kekenodon onamata (Mammalia: Cetacea), a late-surviving archaeocete from the Late Oligocene of New Zealand". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 196 (4): 1637–1670. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac019.
  2. ^ Corrie, Joshua E.; Fordyce, R. Ewan (31 January 2024). "A new genus and species of kekenodontid from the late Oligocene of New Zealand with comments on the evolution of tooth displacement in Cetacea". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand: 1–16. doi:10.1080/03036758.2023.2297696. ISSN 0303-6758.