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Kekenodon

Mammalia - Cetacea

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1881Kekenodon Hector p. 434
1892Kokenodon Lydekker p. 561
1894Kenodon Zittel p. 168
1898Kekenodon Trouessart p. 1010
1904Kekenodon Palmer p. 357
1908Xekenodon Stromer p. 147
1911Kekenodon Hall p. 262
1914Kekenodon Abel p. 220
1919Kekenodon Abel p. 751
1928Kekenodon Kellogg p. 32 figs. Table 1
1936Kekenodon Kellogg p. 226
1945Kekenodon Simpson p. 100
1954Kekenodon Moustafa p. 87
1967Kekenodon Harland et al. p. 774
1973Kekenodon Keyes p. 389
1977Kekenodon Whitmore and Sanders p. 305
1980Kekenodon Fordyce p. iii figs. Table 2
1988Kekenodon Carroll
1997Kekenodon McKenna and Bell p. 375
2001Kekenodon Fordyce and de Muizon p. 176
2002Kekenodon Sepkoski
2008Kekenodon Uhen p. 445 figs. Table 1
2009Kekenodon Fordyce and Roberts p. 553
2010Kekenodon Fitzgerald p. 370 figs. Table 1
2014Kekenodon Clementz et al.
2017Kekenodon Martínez-Cáceres et al. p. 13
2018Kekenodon Uhen p. 79
2022Kekenodon Corrie and Fordyce

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

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.

G. †Kekenodon Hector 1881
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Kekenodon onamata Hector 1881
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
J. E. Corrie and R. E. Fordyce 2022Kekenodon onamata
is a large-sized (8–9 m estimated body length) heterodont archaeocete that differs from archaeocetes basal to the Basilosauridae (Protocetidae, Remingtonocetidae, Ambulocetidae and Pakicetidae) in possessing a prominent lateral tuberosity located lateral to the mallear fossa and posterior cheek teeth with multiple accessory denticles. Kekenodon onamata differs from Basilosauridae in possessing a subrectangular supraorbital process of the frontal that is transversely wider than anteroposteriorly long, diminutive foramina on the dorsal surface of the frontal, prominent lateral tuberosity, mallear fossa positioned more medial to the lateral tuberosity, a medial edge of the anterior process of the periotic and anterior edge of the pars cochlearis forming an obtuse angle, rounded anteromedial angle of the pars cochlearis, pars cochlearis with a hemispherical ventral profile, reduced superior process of the periotic forming a low-lying ridge with distinct anterior and posterior apices, gently concave suprameatal fossa, and lower molariform teeth with accessory denticles on the anterior surface of the crown in place of an re-entrant groove. Kekenodon onamata differs from other Pelagiceti in possessing a protocone remnant in permanent posterior cheek teeth and upper-posterior cheek teeth with a third lingual root.
Kekenodon onamata retains archaic features differing from Neoceti including: dorsal and ventral
vestibular areas of the internal acoustic meatus separated by an indistinct transverse crest and triple- rooted cheek teeth.
Kekenodon onamata differs from Odontoceti in lacking evidence of skull telescoping indicative of echolocation including the posterior and posterolateral expansion and inflation of the maxilla and premaxilla dorsally covering the frontal, and in possessing large and strongly heterodont teeth with postcanines having numerous large and triangular accessory denticles on the anterior and posterior margins of the crown (excluding Inticetus vertizi and Squalodontidae).
Kekenodon onamata differs from the taxonomically ambiguous Phococetus vasconum in possessing comparatively larger permanent molariform teeth, crowns of denticulate molariform teeth have a symmetrical profile with a less inclined anterior margin and a more distinct sulcus corresponding to the isthmus joining the anterior and posterior roots.
Kekenodon onamata differs from Mysticeti in possessing a pars cochlearis with a longitudinal ventral ridge; from toothed Mysticeti in possessing a larger total body length [excluding Morawanocetinae gen. et. sp. indet. (AMP 9)], a transverse frontomaxillary suture (excluding Aetiocetus polydentatus Barnes et al., 1995), ascending process of maxilla does not extend posterior to the anterior margin of the frontal, an indistinct superior process that forms a low-lying ridge terminating at anterior and posterior apices (excluding Fucaia buelli Marx, Tsai & Fordyce, 2015) and some upper postcanines that are triple-rooted; from the previously recognized toothed mysticetes Llanocetus denticrenatus Mitchell, 1989, Mystacodon selenesis Lambert et al., 2017 and Mammalodontidae in possessing prominent enamel ornament on both the labial and lingual surfaces of the crown; from Llanocetus denticrenatus in possessing accessory denticles on postcanine teeth that are more closely spaced with a profile that is more triangular and less palmate; from Mammalodon colliveri Pritchard, 1939 in possessing apertures for cochlear aqueduct and fenestra rotunda that are not widely separated; from Janjucetus hunderi Fitzgerald, 2006 and Fucaia in lacking an elongate lateral tuberosity that articulates dorsally with the squamosal; from Aetiocetidae in possessing upper and lower double-rooted posterior cheek teeth with roots joined by a transversely narrow isthmus below the crown base, a transversely broader anterior process of the periotic, dorsoventrally straight anterior keel of the anterior process in the periotic and an ovoid pars cochlearis in medial view; from Aetiocetus Emlong, 1966 in possessing distinctly heterodont teeth and double-rooted postcanine teeth; from the previously recognized toothed mysticete Coronodon havensteini Geisler et al., 2017 in possessing a rounded anteromedial corner of the pars cochlearis, postcanine teeth with a more inclined anterior margin of the crown and a primary denticle that is larger than the accessory denticles; from Mystacodon selenesis in having nasals with a posterior margin positioned further anteriorly; from Chaeomysticeti in possessing an orbitotemporal crest located on the posterior edge of the frontal and functional permanent teeth (possibly excluding the eomysticetid Waharoa ruwhenua Boessenecker & Fordyce, 2015); from Fucaia goedertorum (Barnes et al., 1995) and Chaeomysticeti in possessing an anterior process of the periotic with apex dorsal to the ventral edge of the pars cochlearis; from crown Mysticeti in possessing a straight posterior border of frontal, multiple minute foramina on dorsal surface of the frontals, anterior process of the periotic intermediate in length relative to the pars cochlearis, distinct mallear fossa, distinct fovea epitubaria to accommodate the accessory ossicle of the tympanic bulla, periotic lacking a ventrolateral ridge, ovoid proximal opening of facial canal, relatively wide tympanic bulla, distinct medial and lateral lobes of the tympanic bulla open elliptical foramen of the tympanic bulla, tympanic cavity anteroposteriorly divided by transverse ridge and involucral ridge that is nearly straight; from crown Mysticeti and M. colliveri in lacking a pars cochlearis elongated towards the cranial cavity, tubular fundus of the internal acoustic meatus and protruding lateral wall of internal acoustic meatus from the suprameatal fossa; and from crown Mysticeti and J. hunderi in lacking a fenestra rotunda with a fissure oriented towards the perilymphatic foramen and a caudal tympanic process of the periotic with narrow separation from the facial crest of the periotic with a clear separation between the stapedial muscle fossa and facial sulcus.
Kekenodon onamata shares with Protocetidae, Mammalodontidae and Coronodon havensteini some upper cheek teeth that are triple-rooted with a third lingual root. Kekenodon onamata shares with Basilosauridae heterodont teeth composed of single- rooted and single-cusped conical crowns and double- rooted cheek with transversely compressed and tall triangular crowns with accessory denticles. Kekenodon onamata shares with Llanocetus denticrenatus a large total body length. Kekenodon onamata shares with Coronodon havensteini a pars cochlearis with a longitudinal ventral ridge and an indistinct superior process that forms a low-lying ridge terminating at anterior and posterior apices. Kekenodon onamata shares with Mammalodontidae and some Odontoceti (including Inticetus vertizi) a median furrow forming a continuous anteroposterior grove on the ventral surface of the tympanic bulla. Kekenodon onamata shares with Mammalodontidae lower posterior cheek teeth roots joined below the crown base by a transversely
narrow isthmus. Kekenodon onamata shares with Mammalodon colliveri and some Odontoceti (including eurhinodelphinids) an involucrum possessing a transverse groove on its dorsal surface, which divides it into a narrower anterior section and wider posterior section. Kekenodon onamata shares with Eomysticetidae a poorly-developed superior process of the periotic reduced to a low ridge with anterior and posterior apices. Kekenodon onamata shares with Phococetus vasconum longitudinal ridges ornamenting the basal region of the crown of denticulate teeth.