Neosqualodon

Neosqualodon is an extinct genus of toothed cetacean,[3] that lived in the modern Italy in the Middle Miocene (Langhian). Their fossils - mostly teeth and jaws - have been recovered in the Ragusa Formation of Sicily, that are more robust and shorter than in the related genus Squalodon. Two species are known: N. assenzae and N. gemellaroi, that are distinguished by the shape of the teeth. Apparently this genus was endemic of the pre-Mediterranean sea of the Late Oligocene.[4]

Neosqualodon
Temporal range: Langhian
↓
Miocene
Skull
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: †Squalodontidae
Genus: †Neosqualodon
Dal Piaz, 1904
Species
  • Neosqualodon assenzae Dal Piaz, 1904 (type)[1]
  • Neosqualodon gastaldii (Brandt, 1873)
  • Neosqualodon gemellaroi Fabiani, 1949[2]
Synonyms
  • Microsqualodon Abel, 1905
Jaw

References
  1. Dal Piaz, G., 1904. Neosqualodon nuovo genere della famiglia degli squalodontidi. - Mem. Soc. Paleo. Suisse Vol. 31 (1905); pp. 1-19.
  2. Fabiani, R., 1949b. Gli odontoceti del Miocene inferiore della Sicilia. – Memorie dell’Instituto Geologico dell’Università di Padova, Vol. 16; 10 fig., 2 tav. pp. 1-3.
  3. Bianucci, G.; Landini, W. (2002). "Change in diversity, ecological significance and biogeographical relationships of the Mediterranean Miocene toothed whale fauna". Geobios. 35: 19. doi:10.1016/S0016-6995(02)00045-1.
  4. Diego Baruco. Neosqualodon, il mistero dei cetacei preistorici degli Iblei. Agora: 40, Apr - Jun, 2012.


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