Miophocaena nishinoi is an extinct species of porpoise from the Late Miocene Koetoi Formation of Japan, dating to around 6.4–5.5 million years ago (mya), represented by a partial skull. the genus name derives from Ancient Greek mio for the Miocene, and phocaena for "porpoise"; the species name honors the discoverer, Takanobu Nishino. Miophocaena resides in a clade with Archaeophocaena discovered in the same area, and, along with Pterophocaena, represents an intermediate phase between porpoises and dolphins.[1]
Miophocaena Temporal range: Late Miocene 6.4–5.5 Ma
| |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Infraorder: | Cetacea |
Family: | Phocoenidae |
Genus: | †MiophocaenaMurakami, Shimada, Hikida, and Hirano, 2012 |
Species: | †M. nishinoi
|
Binomial name | |
†Miophocaena nishinoi Murakami, Shimada, Hikida, and Hirano, 2012
|