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Kharisiren cristata

Osteichthyes - Sirenia - Dugongidae

Taxonomy
Kharisiren cristata was named by Saha et al. (2026). Its type specimen is GSI K60/469, a partial skull, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Kotada, north, which is in an Aquitanian/Burdigalian coastal claystone in the Khari Nadi Formation of India. It is the type species of Kharisiren.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2026Kharisiren cristata Saha et al. p. 2 figs. Figs. 2–5; Table 1

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
classOsteichthyes
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
subclassSynapsida
Therapsida()
RankNameAuthor
infraorderCynodontia()
Mammaliamorpha
Mammaliaformes
classMammalia
Cladotheria
Zatheria
subclassTribosphenida()
subclassTheria
Eutheria()
Placentalia
superorderAfrotheria
Paenungulatomorpha
superorderPaenungulata
Tethytheria
orderSirenia()
familyDugongidae
subfamilyDugonginae
genusKharisiren
speciescristata

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.

Kharisiren cristata Saha et al. 2026
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
A. Saha et al. 2026Distinguished from other dugongines by a unique combination of the following derived and plesiomorphic characters (Table 1): c. 141 [2], kite/lozenge-shaped cross section of tusk (shared with K. cylindrica and D. sodhae; lacking in B. kachchhensis and B. indica), c. 6 [2], nasal process of premaxilla dorsally broadened and thickened (shared with Callistosiren boriquensis, K. cylindrica, Rytiodus heali, D. sodhae, and B. kachchhensis; lacking in B. indica); c. 10 [1], upraised boss on the premaxillary symphysis (shared with K. cylindrica, C. boriquensis, Rytiodus heali; lacking in B. kachchhensis and B. indica); c. 45 [1], anterior half of the frontonasal roof sloping anteroventrally with a longitudinal ridge on either side of the midline suture; paired parallel paraglossal crests on either side of the maxilla (shared with B. kachchhensis, lacking in B. indica); frontonasal roof transversely wider than the anterior half of the parietal; the presence of parallel medial ridges on the fronto-nasal roof; concave laterad and bordering the palate.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: marinef
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: aquaticf
Diet: herbivoref
Reproduction: viviparousf
Created: 2005-06-08 10:11:09
Modified: 2005-06-08 12:11:09
Source: f = family, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Nowak 1991, Domning 1979, Carroll 1988, Hendy et al. 2009

Age range: base of the Aquitanian to the top of the Burdigalian or 23.04000 to 15.98000 Ma

Collections: one only


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Aquitanian - Burdigalian23.04 - 15.98India (Gujarat) Kharisiren cristata (type locality: 97632)