Mycteriacetus

Mycteriacetus is an extinct genus of dolphin from the Early Miocene of northeastern Italy. The type species is M. bellunensis.

Etymology

Mycteriacetus is named after the Yellow-billed stork because the bill of that species is as long as the rostrum of Mycteriacetus.

Taxonomy

Mycteriacetus bellunensis was originally named as a new species of Eurhinodelphis, E. bellunensis, by Pilleri. However, Bianucci and Landini transferred this species to Argyrocetus, creating the new combination A. bellunensis. Lambert eventually recognized E. bellunensis as sufficiently distinct from Eurhinodelphis and Argyrocetus to warrant a new genus, Mycteriacetus.