Metopocetus is an extinct genus of baleen whale belonging to the family Cetotheriidae. The type species is Metopocetus durinasus.

Metopocetus
Temporal range: Miocene, 13.8–16 Ma
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Cetotheriidae
Subfamily: Herpetocetinae
Genus: Metopocetus
Cope, 1896
Species

M. durinasus Cope, 1896 (type)
M. hunteri Marx, Bosselaers, and Louwye, 2016

Description

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Metopocetus is diagnosable by lateral occipital crests continuous with temporal crests that diverge forward, as well as elongate frontals, and short nasal bones that project posterior to frontals.[1]

Location

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Metopocetus durinasus is known only from the middle Miocene (Langhian) Calvert Beach Member of the Calvert Formation of Westmoreland County, Virginia. Its type specimen is USNM 8518.[2] On the other hand, Metopocetus hunteri is based on a partial cranium from the Breda Formation of the Netherlands.[3]

References

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  1. ^ E. D. Cope. 1896. Sixth contribution to the knowledge of the marine Miocene fauna of North America. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 35(150):139-146
  2. ^ M. D. Uhen, R. E. Fordyce, and L. G. Barnes. 2008. Mysticeti. In C. M. Janis, K. M. Scott, and L. L. Jacobs (eds.), Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America II:607-628
  3. ^ Marx FG, Bosselaers MEJ, Louwye S. (2016) A new species of Metopocetus (Cetacea, Mysticeti, Cetotheriidae) from the Late Miocene of the Netherlands. PeerJ 4:e1572 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1572