The list of extinct cetaceans features the extinct genera and species of the order Cetacea. The cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) are descendants of land-living mammals, the even-toed ungulates. The earliest cetaceans were still hoofed mammals. These early cetaceans became gradually better adapted for swimming than for walking on land, finally evolving into fully marine cetaceans.
This list currently includes only fossil genera and species. However, the Atlantic population of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) became extinct in the 18th century, and the baiji (or Chinese river dolphin, Lipotes vexillifer) was declared "functionally extinct" after an expedition in late 2006 failed to find any in the Yangtze River.
Suborder Archaeoceti
Family Ambulocetidae
(Eocene)
- Ambulocetus
- Himalayacetus
- Gandakasia
Family Basilosauridae
(Late Eocene)
- Tutcetus
- Perucetus
- Basilosaurinae
- Basilosaurus
- Basiloterus
- Eocetus
- Pachycetinae
- Antaecetus
- Pachycetus
- Dorudontinae
- Ancalecetus
- Chrysocetus
- Cynthiacetus
- Dorudon
- Masracetus
- Ocucajea
- Saghacetus
- Supayacetus
- Zygorhiza
- Stromerius
Family Kekenodontidae
(Oligocene)
- Kekenodon
- Tohoraonepu
Family Pakicetidae
(Early to Middle Eocene)
- Gandakasia
- Pakicetus
- Nalacetus
- Ichthyolestes
Family Protocetidae
(Eocene)
- Georgiacetinae
- Aegicetus
- Babiacetus
- Carolinacetus
- Georgiacetus
- Natchitochia
- Pappocetus
- Pontobasileus
- Tupelocetus
- Makaracetinae
- Makaracetus
- Protocetinae
- Aegyptocetus
- Artiocetus
- Crenatocetus
- Dhedacetus
- Gaviacetus
- Indocetus
- Kharodacetus
- Maiacetus
- Peregocetus
- Protocetus
- Qaisracetus
- Rodhocetus
- Takracetus
- Togocetus
Family Remingtonocetidae
(Eocene)
- Andrewsiphius
- Attockicetus
- Dalanistes
- Kutchicetus
- Rayanistes
- Remingtonocetus
Suborder Mysticeti
Family Llanocetidae
(Late Eocene-Early Oligocene)
- Llanocetus
- Mystacodon
Family Mammalodontidae
(jr synonym Janjucetidae)
(Late Oligocene)
- Janjucetus
- Mammalodon
Family incertae sedis
- Borealodon
- Coronodon
Clade Kinetomenta
Family Aetiocetidae
(Oligocene)
- Aetiocetus
- Ashorocetus
- Chonecetus
- Fucaia
- Morawanocetus
- Niparajacetus
- Salishicetus
- Willungacetus
Clade Chaeomysticeti
- Atlanticetus
Family incertae sedis
- Horopeta
- Maiabalaena
- Sitsqwayk
- Tlaxcallicetus
- Toipahautea
- Whakakai
Superfamily Eomysticetoidea
Family Cetotheriopsidae
(Oligocene to Miocene)
- Cetotheriopsis
Family Eomysticetidae
(Oligocene to early Miocene)
- Echericetus
- Eomysticetus
- Matapanui
- Micromysticetus
- Tohoraata
- Tokarahia
- Waharoa
- Yamatocetus
Family Aglaocetidae
(Miocene)
- Aglaocetus
Superfamily Balaenoidea
Family Balaenidae
(Miocene to Recent)
- Antwerpibalaena
- Archaeobalaena
- Balaena
- Balaena affinis
- Balaena arcuata
- Balaena larteti
- Balaena macrocephalus
- Balaena montalionis
- Balaena ricei
- Balaenella
- Balaenotus
- Balaenula
- Charadrobalaena
- Eubalaena (extant)
- Eubalaena ianitrix
- Eubalaena shinshuensis
- Idiocetus
- Peripolocetus
- Protobalaena
Family incertae sedis
- Morenocetus
Clade Thalassotherii
- Cetotheriomorphus
- Heterocetus
- Imerocetus
- Isocetus
- Notiocetus
- Otradnocetus
- Palaeobalaena
- Rhegnopsis
Family Cetotheriidae
(Miocene - Pliocene)
Classification follows Steeman (2007) unless otherwise noted.
- Adicetus
- Brandtocetus
- Cephalotropis
- Cetotherium
- Ciuciulea
- Eucetotherium
- Halicetus
- Herentalia
- Herpetocetus
- Hibacetus
- Joumocetus
- Kurdalagonus
- Metopocetus
- Mithridatocetus
- Nannocetus
- Piscobalaena
- Thinocetus
- Titanocetus
- Tiucetus
- Vampalus
- Zygiocetus
Family Diorocetidae
(Miocene to Pliocene)
- Amphicetus
- Diorocetus
- Plesiocetopsis
- Uranocetus
Family Neobalaenidae
(Miocene to Recent)
- Miocaperea
Family Pelocetidae
(Miocene)
- Cophocetus
- Parietobalaena
- Pelocetus
Family incertae sedis
- Isanacetus
- Pinocetus
- Mauicetus
- Taikicetus
- Tiphyocetus
Superfamily Balaenopteroidea
- Eobalaenoptera
Family Balaenopteridae
(Miocene to Recent)
- Archaebalaenoptera
- Balaenoptera (extant)
- Balaenoptera bertae
- Balaenoptera cephalus
- Balaenoptera colcloughi
- Balaenoptera davidsonii
- Balaenoptera siberi
- Balaenoptera sursiplana
- Balaenoptera taiwanica
- "Balaenoptera" cortesii
- "Balaenoptera" portisi
- "Balaenoptera" ryani
- Burtinopsis
- Cetotheriophanes
- Fragilicetus
- Incakujira
- Marzanoptera
- Miobalaenoptera
- Norrisanima
- Nehalaennia
- Parabalaenoptera
- Plesiobalaenoptera
- Plesiocetus
- Praemegaptera
- Protororqualus
Family Eschrichtiidae
(Miocene to Recent)
- Archaeschrichtius
- Eschrichtioides
- Gricetoides
- Megapteropsis
Family Tranatocetidae
- Mesocetus
- Mixocetus
- Tranatocetus
Family incertae sedis
- Mioceta (nomen dubium)
- Piscocetus
- Siphonocetus (nomen dubium)
- Tretulias (nomen dubium)
- Ulias (nomen dubium)
Suborder Odontoceti
Basal forms
Family Agorophiidae
(Early Oligocene)
- Agorophius
Family Ashleycetidae
(Early Oligocene)
- Ashleycetus
Family Patriocetidae
(Oligocene to Early Miocene)
- Patriocetus
Family Simocetidae
(Early Oligocene)
- Simocetus
Family Xenorophidae
(Late Oligocene)
- Albertocetus
- Archaeodelphis
- Cotylocara
- Echovenator
- Inermorostrum
- Mirocetus
- Xenorophus
Family Inticetidae
- Inticetus
- Phococetus
Family Microzeuglodontidae
- Microzeuglodon
Family Squaloziphiidae
(Late Oligocene to Early Miocene)
- Squaloziphius
- Yaquinacetus
Family incertae sedis
- Ankylorhiza
- Agriocetus
- Atropatenocetus
- Ediscetus
- Olympicetus
- Saurocetus
Superfamily Squalodontoidea
Family Dalpiazinidae
(Late Oligocene to Miocene)
- Dalpiazina
Family Prosqualodontidae
(Late Oligocene-Middle Miocene)
- Parasqualodon
- Prosqualodon
Superfamily Physeteroidea
Family Kogiidae
(Miocene to recent)
- Aprixokogia
- Kogia (extant)
- Kogia pusilla
- Kogia danomurai
- Kogiopsis
- Koristocetus
- Nanokogia
- Platyscaphokogia
- Pliokogia
- Praekogia
- Scaphokogia
- Thalassocetus
Family Physeteridae
- Cozzuoliphyseter
- Eophyseter
- Ferecetotherium
- Idiophyseter
- Idiorophus
- Orycterocetus
- Physeterula
- Placoziphius
- Preaulophyseter
- Scaldicetus
Family incertae sedis
- Acrophyseter
- Albicetus
- Aulophyseter
- Brygmophyseter
- Diaphorocetus
- Eudelphis
- Hoplocetus (nomen dubium)
- Livyatan
- Miokogia (nomen dubium)
- Paleophoca (nomen dubium)
- Prophyseter (nomen dubium)
- Rhaphicetus
- Zygophyseter
Superfamily "Eurhinodelphinoidea"
Family Argyrocetidae
(Late Oligocene to Early Miocene)
- Argyrocetus
- Chilcacetus
- Macrodelphinus
Family Eoplatanistidae
(Miocene)
- Eoplatanista
Family Eurhinodelphinidae
(Late Oligocene to Late Miocene)
- Ceterhinops
- Eurhinodelphis
- Iniopsis
- Mycteriacetus
- Phocaenopsis
- Schizodelphis
- Vanbreenia
- Xiphiacetus
- Ziphiodelphis
Superfamily Platanistoidea
- Aondelphis
- Awamokoa
- Dolgopolis
- Ensidelphis
- Perditicetus
- Urkudelphis
Family Allodelphinidae
(Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene)
- Allodelphis
- Arktocara
- Goedertius
- Ninjadelphis
- Zarhinocetus
Family Platanistidae
(Early Miocene to Recent)
- Araeodelphis
- Dilophodelphis
- Pachyacanthus
- Pomatodelphis
- Prepomatodelphis
- Zarhachis
Family Squalodelphinidae
(Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene)
- Furcacetus
- Furcadelphis
- Huaridelphis
- Macrosqualodelphis
- Medocinia
- Notocetus
- Phocageneus
- Squalodelphis
Family Squalodontidae
(Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene)
- Austrosqualodon
- Eosqualodon
- Macrophoca
- Neosqualodon
- Pachyodon
- Phoberodon
- Squalodon (syn. Kelloggia, Rhizoprion, Crenidelphinus, Arionius, Phocodon)
- Smilocamptus
- Tangaroasaurus
Family Waipatiidae
(Late Oligocene to Early Miocene)
- ?Microcetus
- Otekaikea
- Papahu
- Sachalinocetus
- Waipatia
Superfamily Ziphioidea
Family Ziphiidae
(Miocene to Recent)
- Basal forms
- Aporotus
- Beneziphius
- Chavinziphius
- Chimuziphius
- Choneziphius
- Dagonodum
- Globicetus
- Imocetus
- Messapicetus
- Ninoziphius
- Notoziphius
- Tusciziphius
- Ziphirostrum
- Subfamily Berardiinae
- Archaeoziphius
- Microberardius
- Subfamily Hyperoodontinae
- Africanacetus
- Belemnoziphius
- Ihlengesi
- Khoikhoicetus
- Mesoplodon (extant)
- Mesoplodon posti
- Mesoplodon slangkopi
- Mesoplodon tumidirostris
- Nenga
- Pterocetus
- Xhosacetus
- Subfamily Ziphiinae
- Caviziphius
- Izikoziphius
- Nazcacetus
- Subfamily incertae sedis
- Anoplonassa
- Cetorhynchus
- Eboroziphius
- Pelycorhamphus
Clade Delphinida
Family incertae sedis
- Anacharsis
- Belonodelphis
- Delphinavus
- Graamocetus
- Hadrodelphis
- Lamprolithax
- Leptodelphis
- Liolithax
- Lophocetus
- Loxolithax
- Macrokentriodon
- Microphocaena
- Miodelphis
- Nannolithax
- Oedolithax
- Oligodelphis
- Palaeophocaena
- Pithanodelphis
- Platylithax
- Prionodelphis
- Protodelphinus
- Sarmatodelphis
- Sophianacetus
- Tagicetus
Superfamily Delphinoidea
Family Albireonidae
(Miocene to Pliocene)
- Albireo
Family Delphinidae
(Oligocene to Recent)
- Arimidelphis
- Astadelphis
- Australodelphis
- Delphinus (extant)
- Delphinus domeykoi
- Eodelphinus
- Etruridelphis
- Hemisyntrachelus
- Lagenorhynchus (extant)
- Lagenorhynchus harmatuki
- Norisdelphis
- Globicephala (extant)
- Globicephala baereckeii
- Globicephala etruriae
- Orcinus (extant)
- Orcinus citoniensis
- Orcinus meyeri
- Orcinus paleorca
- Platalearostrum
- Protoglobicephala
- Pseudorca (extant)
- Pseudorca yokoyamai
- Pseudorca yuanliensis
- Septidelphis
- Sinanodelphis
- Stenella (extant)
- Stenella rayi
- Tursiops (extant)
- Tursiops miocaenus
- Tursiops osennae
Family Kentriodontidae
(Oligocene to Pliocene)
- Kampholophos
- Kentriodon
- Rudicetus
- Sophianaecetus
- Wimahl
- Belonodelphis?
- Liolithax?
Family Monodontidae
(Miocene to Recent)
- Bohaskaia
- Casatia
- Denebola
- Haborodelphis
Family Odobenocetopsidae
(Late Miocene to Early Pliocene)
- Odobenocetops
Family Phocoenidae
(Miocene to Recent)
- Archaeophocaena
- Australithax
- Brabocetus
- Harborophocoena
- Lomacetus
- Miophocaena
- Numataphocoena
- Piscolithax
- Pterophocaena
- Salumiphocaena
- Semirostrum
- Septemtriocetus
Superfamily Inioidea
- Awadelphis
- Brujadelphis
- Incacetus
- Meherrinia
Family Iniidae
(Miocene to Recent)
- Goniodelphis
- Hesperoinia
- Ischyrorhynchus
- Isthminia
- Kwanzacetus
- Saurocetes
Family Pontoporiidae
(Middle Miocene to Recent)
- Atocetus
- Auroracetus
- Brachydelphis
- Pliopontos
- Pontistes
- Protophocaena
- Samaydelphis
- Scaldiporia
- Stenasodelphis
Superfamily Lipotoidea
Family Lipotidae
(Late Miocene to Recent)
- Parapontoporia
Superfamily incertae sedis
- Delphinodon
- Heterodelphis
Family incertae sedis
- Acrodelphis
- Champsodelphis
- Hesperocetus
- Imerodelphis (Miocene)
- Kharthlidelphis
- Lonchodelphis
- Macrochirifer
- Microsqualodon
- Pelodelphis
- Rhabdosteus (nomen dubium)
- Sulakocetus
See also
- Evolution of cetaceans
- List of cetaceans
- List of prehistoric mammals
- Lists of extinct species
References
