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Monodontidae

Mammalia - Cetacea - Monodontidae

Taxonomy
Monodontidae was named by Gray (1821). It is extant. It was considered monophyletic by Geisler et al. (2011).

It was reranked as the unranked clade Monodontes by Winge (1921).

It was assigned to Carnivorae by Gray (1821); to Odontocete by Scott (1873); to Odontoceta by Ameghino (1889); to Delphinidae by Winge (1921); to Monodontoidea by Fraser and Purves (1960); to Cetacea by Pictet (1853), Nowak (1991); to Odontoceti by Ellerman and Morrisson-Scott (1951), Reeves and Tracey (1980), Carroll (1988), Stewart and Stewart (1989), Benton (1993), Geisler and Sanders (2003), Mead and Brownell (2005); to Monodontoidae by Geisler et al. (2011), Berta (2017); and to Delphinoidea by Simpson (1945), Kasuya (1973), Barnes et al. (1985), de Muizon (1988), Vidal (1991), Fordyce and Barnes (1994), Fordyce et al. (1995), McKenna and Bell (1997), Rice (1998), Fordyce and de Muizon (2001), Rice (2002), Gingerich (2005), Lambert and Gigase (2007), Bianucci and Landini (2007), Foekens (2008), Agnarsson and May-Collado (2008), Whitmore and Kaltenbach (2008), Uhen et al. (2008), Rice (2009), Velez-Juarbe and Pyenson (2012), Marx et al. (2016), Ichishima et al. (2019), Bianucci et al. (2019), Merella et al. (2022).

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1821Monodontidae Gray p. 310
1853Monodontidae Pictet p. 383
1873Monodontidae Scott p. 102
1889Monodontidae Ameghino p. 887
1921Monodontes Winge p. 35
1945Monodontidae Simpson p. 103
1951Monodontidae Ellerman and Morrisson-Scott p. 726
1960Monodontidae Fraser and Purves p. 112 figs. Figure 26
1973Monodontidae Kasuya p. 61
1980Monodontidae Reeves and Tracey p. 1
1985Monodontidae Barnes et al. p. 25
1988Monodontidae Carroll
1988Monodontidae de Muizon p. 189
1989Monodontidae Stewart and Stewart p. 1
1991Monodontidae Nowak
1991Monodontidae Vidal p. 5
1993Monodontidae Benton p. 762
1994Monodontidae Fordyce and Barnes p. 429 figs. Table 1
1995Monodontidae Fordyce et al. p. 379
1997Monodontidae McKenna and Bell p. 388
1998Monodontidae Rice
2001Monodontidae Fordyce and de Muizon p. 179
2002Monodontidae Rice p. 231 figs. Table 1
2003Monodontidae Geisler and Sanders p. 28
2005Monodontidae Gingerich p. 237 figs. Table 15.1
2005Monodontidae Mead and Brownell p. 735
2007Monodontidae Bianucci and Landini p. 46 figs. Table 2.1
2007Monodontidae Lambert and Gigase p. 198
2008Monodontidae Agnarsson and May-Collado p. 981 figs. Fig. 4.3
2008Monodontidae Foekens p. 7 figs. Table 1
2008Monodontidae Uhen et al. p. 590
2008Monodontidae Whitmore and Kaltenbach p. 228
2009Monodontidae Rice p. 235 figs. Table 1
2011Monodontidae Geisler et al. pp. 6, 29 figs. Table 1, FIgure 5
2012Monodontidae Velez-Juarbe and Pyenson p. 477
2016Monodontidae Marx et al. p. 136
2017Monodontidae Berta p. 164
2019Monodontidae Bianucci et al. p. 1
2019Monodontidae Ichishima et al.
2022Monodontidae Merella et al. p. 231

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Eugnathostomata
—Teleostomi(Bonaparte 1836)
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
subclassSynapsida
—Therapsida()
infraorderCynodontia()
—Mammaliamorpha
—Mammaliaformes
RankNameAuthor
classMammalia
—Cladotheria
—Zatheria
subclassTribosphenida()
subclassTheria
—Eutheria()
—Placentalia
—Boreoeutheria
—Laurasiatheria
—Scrotifera
—Euungulata
—Artiodactylamorpha
—Artiodactyla()
—Whippomorpha
orderCetacea
—Pelagiceti
—Neoceti
suborderOdontoceti
infraorderDelphinida
superfamilyDelphinoidea
familyMonodontidae
familyMonodontidae

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. Monodontidae Gray 1821
show all | hide all
G. †Bohaskaia Velez-Juarbe and Pyenson 2012
+
†Bohaskaia monodontoides Velez-Juarbe and Pyenson 2012
G. †Casatia Bianucci et al. 2019
+
†Casatia thermophila Bianucci et al. 2019
Subfm. Delphinapterinae Gill 1871
+
Invalid names: Beluginae Flower 1867 [synonym], Delphinapteridae Scott 1873 [synonym]
G. Delphinapterus Lacépède 1804 [beluga]
+
Delphinapterus leucas Pallas 1776 [beluga whale]
+
Invalid names: Beluga angustata Cope 1866 [synonym], Beluga borealis Lesson 1828 [synonym], Beluga catodon Gray 1846 [synonym], Beluga concreta Cope 1865 [synonym], Beluga declivis Cope 1865 [synonym], Beluga glacialis Lesson 1828 [synonym], Beluga kingii Gray 1827 [synonym], Beluga rhinodon Cope 1865 [synonym], Catodon albicans Lacépède 1804 [synonym], Catodon canadensis Lesson 1828 [synonym], Cetus albicans Brisson 1762 [synonym], Delphinapterus beluga Lacépède 1804 [synonym], Delphinapterus concreta Cope 1865 [synonym], Delphinapterus dorofeevi Klumov and Barabash 1935 [synonym], Delphinapterus freimani Klumov 1935 [synonym], Delphinapterus marisalbi Ostroumov 1935 [synonym], Delphinapterus vermontanus Thompson 1850 [synonym], Delphinus albians Muller 1776 [synonym], Inia canadensis Desmarest 1822 [synonym]
Invalid names: Agrocetus Gloger 1842 [synonym], Argocetus Gloger 1842 [synonym], Beluga Rafinesque 1815 [synonym], Catodon sibbaldi Fleming 1828 [nomen dubium], Delphinaptera Bowdich 1821 [synonym], Delphinapterus senedetta Lacépède 1804 [nomen dubium], Delphis Wagler 1830 [synonym]
G. †Denebola Barnes 1984
+
†Denebola brachycephala Barnes 1984
G. †Haborodelphis Ichishima et al. 2019
+
†Haborodelphis japonicus Ichishima et al. 2019
G. Monodon Linnaeus 1758 [narwhal]
+
Monodon monoceros Linnaeus 1758 [narhwal]
+
Invalid names: Ceratodon monodon Pallas 1811 [synonym], Ceratodontis ceratodon Brisson 1762 [synonym], Monodon narhval Borowski 1781 [synonym], Monodon narhwal Blumenbach 1779 [synonym], Narwalus andersonianus Lacépède 1804 [synonym], Narwalus microcephalus Lacépède 1804 [synonym], Narwalus vulgaris Lacépède 1804 [synonym], Tachynices megacephalus Brookes 1828 [synonym]
Invalid names: Ceratodon Brisson 1762 [synonym], Ceratodontis Brisson 1762 [synonym], Delphinus anarnacus Desmarest 1822 [nomen dubium], Diodon Storr 1780 [synonym], Monodon spurius Fabricius 1780 [nomen dubium], Narvalus Fischer 1814 [synonym], Narwalus Lacépède 1804 [synonym], Narwhalus Dumeril 1806 [synonym], Tachynices Brookes 1828 [synonym]
Subfm. Monodontinae Miller 1923
+
Invalid names: Monodontina Bonaparte 1849 [invalid subgroup]
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 Burdigalian to the top of the Holocene or 20.45000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 15.98 Ma

Collections (107 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Burdigalian20.45 - 15.98Germany Monodontidae indet. (47425)
Langhian - Serravallian15.98 - 11.63USA (California) Monodontidae indet. (121152)
Tortonian11.63 - 7.246USA (California) Delphinapteridae indet. (52185) Delphinapterinae indet. (13300 52216 75777 75780)
Tortonian - Messinian11.63 - 5.333Peru Delphinapterinae indet. (46083)
Hemphillian9.4 - 4.7USA (California) Delphinapterinae indet. (19342)
Messinian7.246 - 5.333USA (California) Delphinapterinae indet. (19421)
Messinian7.246 - 5.333Mexico (Baja California) Denebola brachycephala (45458)
Messinian - Early/Lower Pleistocene7.246 - 0.774Netherlands Delphinapterus sp., Monodon sp., Delphinapterus leucas (189573)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6Netherlands (Noord-Brabant) Monodontidae indet. (89447)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6Belgium Monodontidae indet. (79726)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6Italy (Tuscany) Monodontidae indet. (190383)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6Japan Haborodelphis japonicus (55643)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6USA (North Carolina) Delphinapterus sp., Monodon sp., Bohaskia monodontoides (52582)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6Belgium (Antwerpen) Monodontidae indet. (57701)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6USA (Virginia) Bohaskia monodontoides (58986)
Zanclean5.333 - 3.6Italy Casatia thermophila (204946)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.58Netherlands Monodontidae indet. (192726)
Piacenzian3.6 - 2.58USA (California) Delphinapterinae indet. (46067)
Gelasian2.58 - 1.8United Kingdom (England) Monodon monoceros (48093)
Early/Lower Pleistocene2.58 - 0.774United Kingdom (England) Delphinapterus leucas (58420)
Early/Lower Pleistocene2.58 - 0.774Netherlands Delphinapterus sp., Delphinapterus leucas (189574)
Pleistocene2.58 - 0.0117Sweden Delphinus leucas (159729)
Pleistocene2.58 - 0.0117United Kingdom (England) Monodon monoceros (85135)
Pleistocene2.58 - 0.0117Denmark Delphinus leucas (159730 159733)
Calabrian1.8 - 0.774Netherlands Delphinapterus leucas (53897)
Middle Pleistocene0.774 - 0.129United Kingdom (England) Monodon monoceros (77754) Monodon monoceros, Delphinapterus leucas (58419)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Canada (Ontario) Beluga vermontana (51010) Delphinapterus leucas (51007 51009 51011 51012 51014 51015)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (interglacial)0.129 - 0.0117USA (Alaska) Delphinapterus sp. (20643)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Vermont) Delphinus vermontana (51003)
Late/Upper Pleistocene (late glacial)0.129 - 0.0117Canada (Quebec) Delphinapterus leucas (116551)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (New York) Delphinapterus leucas (73634)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Netherlands Delphinapterus leucas (82530 82533) Monodon monoceros (109703)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Canada (Quebec) Delphinapterus leucas (51004 51006 51017 96872) Monodon monoceros (96874)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Sweden Delphinapterus leucas (96117 96123)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Canada (Yukon) Delphinapterus leucas (73693)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Canada (New Brunswick) Delphinapterus sp. (73664) Monodon monoceros (73672)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Belgium Delphinapterus leucas (82528)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Denmark Delphinapterus leucas (96120 96128 96129 96130) Delphinus leucas (96118)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117Greenland Monodon monoceros (227040)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Canada (Nunavut) Delphinapterus leucas (160848 228756 228757 228895 228897 238677) Monodon monoceros (73710 238684) Monodon monoceros, Delphinapterus leucas (228919) Monodon sp. (238692) M. sp. (228898 228899)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Greenland Delphinapterus leucas (168233) Monodon monoceros (162545 227877 229885 229938 229939 229940 229942 229943)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0USA (Alaska) Delphinapterus leucas (168235 175943 175948 175950 175951)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Japan Delphinapterus leucas (82088)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Canada (Quebec) Delphinapterus leucas (51005 221970 228861 238675 238678)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Canada (Newfoundland) Delphinapterus leucas (228844)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Greenland (Carey Oer) Monodon monoceros (177153)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Russian Federation (Siberia) Delphinus leucas (86903)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Svalbard and Jan Mayen Delphinapterus leucas (168234) Monodon monoceros (168232)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Iceland Monodon monoceros (168231)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Canada (Newfoundland and Labrador) Monodon monoceros (168230)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Greenland (Qeqertasussuk) Monodon monoceros (187755)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0United Kingdom (England) Monodon monoceros (238915)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Russian Federation Delphinapterus leucas (168236)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Canada (Northwest Territories) Delphinapterus leucas (228921 228924)