| Basic info | Taxonomic history | Classification | Included Taxa |
| Morphology | Ecology and taphonomy | External Literature Search | Age range and collections |
Taxonomy
Kekenodontinae was named by Mitchell (1989).
It was reranked as the family Kekenodontidae by Fordyce (1992), Fordyce and Barnes (1994), Fordyce et al. (1995), McKenna and Bell (1997), Fordyce and de Muizon (2001), Rice (2002), Fordyce (2004), Fordyce (2006), Bianucci and Landini (2007), Rice (2009), Fitzgerald (2010), Clementz et al. (2014), Marx et al. (2016), Berta (2017), Hernández Cisneros et al. (2017), Uhen (2018), Corrie and Fordyce (2022); it was reranked as the unranked clade Kekenodontidae by Corrie and Fordyce (2024).
It was assigned to Basilosauroidea by Mitchell (1989); to Crenaticeti by Rice (1998); to Mysticeti by Fordyce (1992), Fordyce and Barnes (1994), Fordyce et al. (1995), McKenna and Bell (1997), Fordyce and de Muizon (2001), Rice (2002); to Mysticeti by Rice (2009); to Cetacea by Fitzgerald (2010); to Archaeoceti by Bianucci and Landini (2007), Clementz et al. (2014); to Archaeoceti by Fordyce (2004), Fordyce (2006), Hernández Cisneros et al. (2017); to Neoceti by Uhen (2018); and to Pelagiceti by Marx et al. (2016), Berta (2017), Corrie and Fordyce (2022), Corrie and Fordyce (2024).
It was reranked as the family Kekenodontidae by Fordyce (1992), Fordyce and Barnes (1994), Fordyce et al. (1995), McKenna and Bell (1997), Fordyce and de Muizon (2001), Rice (2002), Fordyce (2004), Fordyce (2006), Bianucci and Landini (2007), Rice (2009), Fitzgerald (2010), Clementz et al. (2014), Marx et al. (2016), Berta (2017), Hernández Cisneros et al. (2017), Uhen (2018), Corrie and Fordyce (2022); it was reranked as the unranked clade Kekenodontidae by Corrie and Fordyce (2024).
It was assigned to Basilosauroidea by Mitchell (1989); to Crenaticeti by Rice (1998); to Mysticeti by Fordyce (1992), Fordyce and Barnes (1994), Fordyce et al. (1995), McKenna and Bell (1997), Fordyce and de Muizon (2001), Rice (2002); to Mysticeti by Rice (2009); to Cetacea by Fitzgerald (2010); to Archaeoceti by Bianucci and Landini (2007), Clementz et al. (2014); to Archaeoceti by Fordyce (2004), Fordyce (2006), Hernández Cisneros et al. (2017); to Neoceti by Uhen (2018); and to Pelagiceti by Marx et al. (2016), Berta (2017), Corrie and Fordyce (2022), Corrie and Fordyce (2024).
Subtaxa
Synonyms
|
Synonymy list
| Year | Name and author |
|---|---|
| 1955 | Squalodon gambierensis Glaessner p. 362 figs. Fig. 5a-c |
| 1973 | Squalodon gambierensis Keyes p. 385 |
| 1989 | Kekenodontinae Mitchell p. 2231 |
| 1992 | Kekenodontidae Fordyce p. 371 figs. Figure 18.2 |
| 1994 | Kekenodontidae Fordyce and Barnes p. 428 figs. Table 1 |
| 1995 | Kekenodontidae Fordyce et al. p. 379 |
| 1997 | Kekenodontidae McKenna and Bell p. 375 |
| 1998 | Kekenodontinae Rice |
| 2001 | Kekenodontidae Fordyce and de Muizon p. 176 |
| 2002 | Kekenodontidae Rice p. 231 figs. Table 1 |
| 2004 | Kekenodontidae Fordyce p. 59 |
| 2006 | Kekenodontidae Fordyce p. 772 |
| 2007 | Kekenodontidae Bianucci and Landini p. 45 figs. Table 2.1 |
| 2009 | Kekenodontidae Rice p. 235 figs. Table 1 |
| 2010 | Kekenodontidae Fitzgerald p. 370 figs. Table 1 |
| 2014 | Kekenodontidae Clementz et al. |
| 2016 | Kekenodontidae Marx et al. p. 102 |
| 2017 | Kekenodontidae Berta p. 160 |
| 2017 | Kekenodontidae Hernández Cisneros et al. p. 161 |
| 2018 | Kekenodontidae Uhen p. 79 |
| 2022 | Kekenodontidae Corrie and Fordyce |
| 2024 | Kekenodontidae Corrie and Fordyce |
Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data
|
|
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.
Unr. †Kekenodontidae Mitchell 1989
show all | hide all
Invalid names: Squalodon gambierensis Glaessner 1955 [invalid subgroup]
Diagnosis
| Reference | Diagnosis | |
|---|---|---|
| J. E. Corrie and R. E. Fordyce 2022 | Heterodont stem cetaceans (archaeocetes) with a large estimated condylobasal length of c. 1300 mm; differing from all Eocene archaeocetes in possessing an anterior process of the periotic that is ovoid in cross-section (transverse diameter of the anterior process of the periotic between 51% and 78% of the height), a prominent lateral tuberosity located lateral to the mallear fossa, medial edge of the anterior process of the periotic and anterior edge of the pars cochlearis form an obtuse angle, rounded anteromedial angle of the pars cochlearis, a pars cochlearis with a hemispherical ventral profile, reduced superior process of the periotic forming a concave, low-lying ridge terminating at anterior and posterior apices, teeth lacking a continuous cingular shelf and inferred lower molariform teeth with accessory denticles rather than a re-entrant groove along the anterior margin of the crown. Kekenodontids differ from all Neoceti in possessing a low-lying transverse crest separating the dorsal and ventral vestibular areas of the internal acoustic meatus. Kekenodontids differ from Mysticeti in possessing a pars cochlearis with a longitudinal ventral ridge. Kekenodontids differ from crown Mysticeti in possessing an anterior process of the periotic intermediate in length relative to the pars cochlearis, a distinct mallear fossa, a distinct fovea epitubaria to accommodate the accessory ossicle of the tympanic bulla and a superior process of the periotic. Kekenodontids differ from Chaeomysticeti in possessing functional permanent teeth (possibly excluding the eomysticetid Waharoa ruwhenua). Kekenodontids differ from Aetiocetidae and Eomysticetidae in possessing an anterior process of the periotic that is transversely broader and less blade-like. Kekenodontids differ from Aetiocetidae in possessing postcanine teeth with larger accessory denticles. Kekenodontids differ from Odontoceti in possessing a mallear fossa and fossa incudis not separated by a submallear fossa, strongly heterodont teeth with postcanine teeth that have numerous large accessory denticles on the anterior and posterior margins of the crown (excluding Inticetus vertizi Lambert et al., 2017 and Squalodontidae). |
Measurements
No measurements are available
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|||||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
| Source: o = order | |||||
| Reference: Uhen 2004 | |||||
Age range: Duntroonian or 27.30000 to 25.20000 Ma
Collections (9 total)
| Time interval | Ma | Country or state | Original ID and collection number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duntroonian | New Zealand (South Island) | Kekenodon onamata (45665) Tohoraonepu nihokaiwaiu (233345) | |
| Chattian | New Zealand | Kekenodon onamata (225893) | |
| Chattian | Australia (South Australia) | Squalodon gambierensis (50070) | |
| Chattian | Mexico (Baja California Sur) | Kekenodontidae indet. (183475 185160 185161 186570) | |
| Late/Upper Oligocene | New Zealand | Kekenodon sp. (67856) |