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Phocoenidae (porpoise)

Mammalia - Cetacea - Phocoenidae

Taxonomy
Phocaenina was named by Gray (1825). It is extant.

It was reranked as the family Phocaenidae by Abel (1914), Van Deinse (1931), Slijper (1936), Simpson (1945), Ellerman and Morrisson-Scott (1951), Barnes (1985), de Muizon (1988), Carroll (1988), Benton (1993), McKenna and Bell (1997) and Ichishima and Kimura (2000); it was corrected as Phocaenini by Zittel (1925); it was reranked as the family Phocoenidae by Kasuya (1973), Gaskin et al. (1974), Brownell (1975), Brownell (1983), Brownell and Praderi (1984), Muizon (1984), Barnes et al. (1985), Vidal (1991), Nowak (1991), Fordyce and Barnes (1994), Fordyce et al. (1995), Rice (1998), Fordyce and de Muizon (2001), Rice (2002), Geisler and Sanders (2003), Gingerich (2005), Mead and Brownell (2005), Ichishima and Kimura (2005), Bianucci and Landini (2007), Foekens (2008), Agnarsson and May-Collado (2008), Uhen et al. (2008), Rice (2009), Ichishima and Kimura (2009), Canto et al. (2010), Geisler et al. (2011), Murakami et al. (2012), Murakami et al. (2012), Murakami et al. (2015), Tanaka and Ichishima (2016), Marx et al. (2016), Berta (2017) and Benites-Palomino et al. (2023).

It was assigned to Delphinidae by Gray (1825), Gray (1864), Gray (1868) and Zittel (1925); to Delphinoceti by Abel (1914) and Van Deinse (1931); to Odontoceti by Slijper (1936); to Cetacea by Nowak (1991); to Odontoceti by Ellerman and Morrisson-Scott (1951), Carroll (1988), Benton (1993), Rice (1998), Geisler and Sanders (2003) and Mead and Brownell (2005); to Monodontoidae by Geisler et al. (2011) and Berta (2017); and to Delphinoidea by Simpson (1945), Kasuya (1973), Gaskin et al. (1974), Brownell (1975), Brownell (1983), Brownell and Praderi (1984), Muizon (1984), Barnes et al. (1985), Barnes (1985), de Muizon (1988), Vidal (1991), Fordyce and Barnes (1994), Fordyce et al. (1995), McKenna and Bell (1997), Ichishima and Kimura (2000), Fordyce and de Muizon (2001), Rice (2002), Gingerich (2005), Ichishima and Kimura (2005), Bianucci and Landini (2007), Foekens (2008), Agnarsson and May-Collado (2008), Uhen et al. (2008), Rice (2009), Ichishima and Kimura (2009), Canto et al. (2010), Murakami et al. (2012), Murakami et al. (2012), Murakami et al. (2015), Tanaka and Ichishima (2016), Marx et al. (2016) and Benites-Palomino et al. (2023).

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1825Phocaenina Gray p. 340
1864Phocaenina Gray p. 244
1868Phocaenina Gray p. 8
1914Phocaenidae Abel p. 221
1925Phocaenini Zittel p. 87
1931Phocaenidae Van Deinse p. 33
1936Phocaenidae Slijper p. 556
1945Phocaenidae Simpson p. 104
1951Phocaenidae Ellerman and Morrisson-Scott p. 728
1973Phocoenidae Kasuya p. 61
1974Phocoenidae Gaskin et al. p. 1
1975Phocoenidae Brownell p. 1
1983Phocoenidae Brownell
1984Phocoenidae Brownell and Praderi p. 1
1984Phocoenidae Muizon p. 79
1985Phocaenidae Barnes p. 161
1985Phocoenidae Barnes et al. p. 25
1988Phocaenidae Carroll
1988Phocaenidae de Muizon p. 189
1991Phocoenidae Nowak
1991Phocoenidae Vidal p. 5
1993Phocaenidae Benton p. 762
1994Phocoenidae Fordyce and Barnes p. 429 figs. Table 1
1995Phocoenidae Fordyce et al. p. 340
1997Phocaenidae McKenna and Bell p. 390
1998Phocoenidae Rice p. 121
2000Phocaenidae Ichishima and Kimura p. 561
2001Phocoenidae Fordyce and de Muizon p. 179
2002Phocoenidae Rice p. 231 figs. Table 1
2003Phocoenidae Geisler and Sanders p. 28
2005Phocoenidae Gingerich p. 237 figs. Table 15.1
2005Phocoenidae Ichishima and Kimura p. 655
2005Phocoenidae Mead and Brownell p. 735
2007Phocoenidae Bianucci and Landini p. 45 figs. Table 2.1
2008Phocoenidae Agnarsson and May-Collado p. 981 figs. Fig. 4.3
2008Phocoenidae Foekens p. 7 figs. Table 1
2008Phocoenidae Uhen et al. p. 591
2009Phocoenidae Ichishima and Kimura p. 857
2009Phocoenidae Rice p. 235 figs. Table 1
2010Phocoenidae Canto et al. p. 20
2011Phocoenidae Geisler et al. p. 29 figs. Figure 5
2012Phocoenidae Murakami et al. p. 1158 figs. Figure 8
2015Phocoenidae Murakami et al. p. 99
2016Phocoenidae Marx et al. p. 137
2016Phocoenidae Tanaka and Ichishima p. 2
2017Phocoenidae Berta p. 164
2023Phocoenidae Benites-Palomino et al. p. 3

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Life
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
subclassSynapsida
Therapsida()
infraorderCynodontia()
Mammaliamorpha
Mammaliaformes
classMammalia
RankNameAuthor
Theriamorpha(Rowe 1993)
Theriiformes()
Trechnotheria
Cladotheria
Zatheria
subclassTribosphenida()
subclassTheria
Eutheria()
Placentalia
Boreoeutheria
Laurasiatheria
Scrotifera
Euungulata
Artiodactylamorpha
Artiodactyla()
Whippomorpha
orderCetacea
Pelagiceti
Neoceti
suborderOdontoceti
infraorderDelphinida
superfamilyDelphinoidea
familyPhocoenidae()
familyPhocoenidae()

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Fm. Phocoenidae Gray 1825 [porpoise]
show all | hide all
G. †Archaeophocaena Murakami et al. 2012
+
Archaeophocaena teshioensis Murakami et al. 2012
G. †Australithax Muizon 1988
+
Australithax intermedia Muizon 1988
G. †Brabocetus Colpaert et al. 2015
+
Brabocetus gigaseorum Colpaert et al. 2015
G. †Haborophocoena Ichishima and Kimura 2005
+
Haborophocoena minutus Ichishima and Kimura 2009
Haborophocoena toyoshimai Ichishima and Kimura 2005
G. †Lomacetus Muizon 1986
+
Lomacetus ginsburgi Muizon 1986
G. †Loxolithax Kellogg 1931
+
Loxolithax sinuosa Kellogg 1931
G. †Miophocaena Murakami et al. 2012
+
Miophocaena nishinoi Murakami et al. 2012
G. Neophocaena Palmer 1899
+
Neophocaena asiaeorientalis Pilleri and Gihr 1972
Neophocaena phocaenoides Cuvier 1829 [finless porpoise]
+
Invalid names: Delphinapterus molagan Owen 1866 [synonym], Delphinus melas Temminck 1841 [synonym], Neomeris kurrachiensis Murray 1884 [synonym]
Neophocaena sunameri Piller and Gihr 1975
Invalid names: Meomeris Gray 1847 [synonym], Neomeris Gray 1846 [synonym]
G. †Numataphocoena Ichishima and Kimura 2000
+
Numataphocoena yamashitai Ichishima and Kimura 2000
G. Phocoena Cuvier 1816
+
Phocoena dioptrica Lahille 1912 [spectacled porpoise]
+
Invalid names: Phocaena stornii Marelli 1922 [synonym]
Phocoena phocoena Linnaeus 1758 [harbor porpoise]
+
Invalid names: Delphinus ventricosus Lacépède 1804 [synonym], Phocaena americana Allen 1869 [synonym], Phocaena brachycium Cope 1865 [synonym], Phocaena communis Cuvier 1817 [synonym], Phocaena fuscus Kerr 1792 [synonym], Phocaena lineata Cope 1876 [synonym], Phocaena relicta Abel 1905 [synonym], Phocaena tuberculifera Gray 1865 [synonym], Phocaena vomerina Gill 1865 [synonym], Phocoena rondeletii Giglioli 1879 [synonym]
Phocoena sinus Norris and McFarland 1958 [Gulf of California Harbor Porpoise]
Phocoena spinipinnis Burmeister 1865
+
Invalid names: Phocaena philippii Philippi 1893 [synonym]
Invalid names: Acanthodelphis Gray 1866 [synonym], Australophocoena Barnes 1985 [synonym]
Subfm. Phocoeninae Gray 1825
+
Invalid names: Leucodelphini Brandt 1873 [empty]
G. Phocoenoides Andrews 1911
+
Phocoenoides dalli True 1885 [Dall's porpoise]
+
Invalid names: Phocoenoides truei Andrews 1911 [synonym]
G. †Piscolithax Muizon 1983
+
Piscolithax boreios Barnes 1984
Piscolithax longirostris Muizon 1983
Piscolithax tedfordi Barnes 1984
G. †Pterophocaena Murakami et al. 2012
+
Pterophocaena nishinoi Murakami et al. 2012
G. †Salumiphocaena Barnes 1985
+
Salumiphocaena stocktoni Wilson 1973
G. †Semirostrum Racicot et al. 2014
+
Semirostrum ceruttii Racicot et al. 2014
G. †Septemtriocetus Lambert 2008
+
Invalid names: Phocoenoidinae Barnes 1984 [empty]
Diagnosis
No diagnoses are available
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: hydroxyapatitesubo
Form: roller-shapedo
Ontogeny: modification of partso
Environment: marine, freshwatersubo
Locomotion: actively mobileo
Life habit: aquatico
Depth habitat: surfaceo
Diet: piscivoref
Reproduction: viviparoussubo
Created: 2005-06-08 10:11:09
Modified: 2005-06-08 12:11:09
Source: f = family, subo = suborder, o = order
References: Uhen 2004, Nowak 1991

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Langhian to the top of the Holocene or 15.97000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 13.82 Ma

Collections (78 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Langhian15.97 - 13.82Poland Phocoena sp. (13063)
Langhian15.97 - 13.82USA (California) Loxolithax sinuosa (13297)
Langhian - Serravallian15.97 - 11.62USA (California) Phocoenidae indet. (121152)
Tortonian11.62 - 7.246Japan (Hokkaido) Phocoenidae indet., Pterophocaena nishinoi (133430)
Tortonian11.62 - 7.246Peru (Arequipa) Piscolithax sp., Phocoenidae indet., Lomacetus ginsburgi (45485)
Tortonian11.62 - 7.246USA (California) Loxolithax stocktoni (46066) Piscolithax sp. (13300)
Tortonian11.62 - 7.246Peru Lomacetus sp. (183918) Phocoenidae indet., Australithax intermedia (45486)
Tortonian - Messinian11.62 - 5.333Peru Phocoenidae indet., Piscolithax longirostris (46083)
Tortonian - Messinian11.62 - 5.333New Zealand Phocoenidae indet. (87865)
Late/Upper Miocene11.608 - 5.333Japan (Hokkaido) Phocaenidae indet. (75487)
Late/Upper Miocene11.608 - 5.333Chile (Atacama) Phocoenidae indet. (80365)
Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9USA (California) Loxolithax stocktoni (19342)
Messinian7.246 - 5.333Japan (Hokkaido) Archaeophocaena teshioensis, Miophocaena nishinoi (133431)
Messinian7.246 - 5.333Peru Phocoenidae indet., Piscolithax longirostris (13079)
Messinian7.246 - 5.333Peru (Caraveli) Piscolithax sp., Phocoenidae indet. (46084)
Messinian7.246 - 5.333USA (California) Phocoenidae indet. (117470) Phocoenidae indet. 2 (184950)
Messinian7.246 - 5.333Mexico (Baja California) Piscolithax boreios, Piscolithax tedfordi, Delphinoidea indet. (45458)
Messinian7.246 - 5.333Chile (Atacama) Phocoenidae indet. (55535)
Messinian - Zanclean7.246 - 3.6USA (California) Phocoenidae indet. (55448) Semirostrum sp. (77499)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6USA (California) Phocoena sp. (117471) Phocoenidae indet. (50068) Semirostrum ceruttii (154908)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6South Africa Australithax sp., Phocoenidae indet. (100313)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6Netherlands (Noord-Brabant) Phocaena phocaena (89447)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6Belgium Brabocetus gigaseorum (167733)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6Japan (Hokkaido) Haborophocoena toyoshimai, Haborophocoena minutus (105557) Numataphocoena yamashitai (45803 125179)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6Japan Haborophocoena toyoshimai (55356) Phocaenidae indet. (55643)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588Mexico (Baja California Sur) Phocoeninae indet. (57779)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.588Azerbaijan Phocaena phocaena (108338)
Zanclean - Piacenzian5.333 - 2.588Netherlands (Noord-Brabant) Phocoenidae indet. (59003)
Piacenzian3.6 - 2.588USA (California) Phocaenidae indet. (52218) Phocoenidae indet. (19703 117472) Phocoenidae indet. 2 (184967) Semirostrum ceruttii (154906 154907)
Piacenzian3.6 - 2.588Belgium Septemriocetus bosselaersi (84232)
Gelasian2.588 - 1.806Japan (Hokkaido) Phocoenoidinae indet. (75488)
Middle Pleistocene0.781 - 0.126United Kingdom (England) Phocoena communis (58421)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.126 - 0.0117Canada (Quebec) Phocoena phocoena (51018)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.126 - 0.0117Japan Neophocaena phocaenoides (75739)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Mexico (Baja California) Phocoena sinus (86901)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Japan Phocoena phocoena (168244) Phocoena phocoena, Phocoenoides dalli (82088) Phocoenoides dalli (168249)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0USA (South Carolina) Phocoena phocoena (168242)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Taiwan Neophocaena phocaenoides (168240)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0South Africa Delphinus phocaenoides (86897)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Chile Phocoena dioptrica (168247)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Indonesia Neophocaena phocaenoides (168239)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Netherlands Phocoena phocoena (55533)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0China Neophocaena phocaenoides (68028)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Antarctica Phocoena dioptrica (168248)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Norway Phocoena phoecena (170319)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Morocco Phocoena phocoena (168241)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0South Korea Neophocaena asiaeorientalis (230223)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Australia (Tasmania) Phocoena dioptrica (168245)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Argentina Phocoena dioptrica (168246)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0India Neophocaena phocaenoides (168238)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Oman Neophocaena phocaenoides (168237)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Uruguay Phocaena dioptrica, Phocaena spinipinnis (86873)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0USA (California) Phocoena phocoena (168243) Phocoenoides dalli (168250)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0USA (Alaska) Phocaena dalli (86902) Phocoena phocoena, Phocoena dalli (161613 175943) Phocoena sp. (175944 175945 175946 175947)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Greenland (Qeqertasussuk) Phocoena phocoena (187755)