Echovenator
{{Short description|Extinct genus of mammals}}
{{speciesbox
| fossil_range = Late Oligocene, {{Fossil range|28.4|23.0}}
| genus = Echovenator
| parent_authority = Churchill et al., 2016
| species = sandersi
| authority = Churchill et al., 2016
}}
Echovenator ("echolocation hunter") is a genus of primitive odontocete from late Oligocene (Chattian) marine deposits in South Carolina. It belongs to the Xenorophidae.{{Cite web |last=Lazaro |first=Enrico de |date=2016-08-08 |title=Echovenator sandersi: Oligocene Whale Had Ultrasonic Hearing {{!}} Paleontology {{!}} Sci-News.com |url=https://www.sci.news/paleontology/echovenator-sandersi-oligocene-whale-ultrasonic-hearing-04084.html |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=Sci.News: Breaking Science News |language=en-US}}
Description and paleobiology
Echovenator is distinguishable from other xenorophids in having a paranaris fossa and fused fronto-nasal and maxillo-premaxillary sutures. The earbone structure shows that this odontocete was clearly capable of echolocation.{{cite journal |last1= Churchill |first1= M. |last2= Martinez-Caceres |first2= M. |display-authors=etal |date= 2016 |title= The origin of high-frequency hearing in whales |journal= Current Biology |volume= 26|issue= 16|pages= 2144–2149|doi= 10.1016/j.cub.2016.06.004|doi-access= free |pmid= 27498568 }}.
References
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{{Odontoceti|O.}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q48965843}}
Category:Fossil taxa described in 2016
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