Cetotherium

Cetotherium (meaning "whale beast") was a genus of baleen whale from the family Cetotheriidae. It lived during the Miocene and Pliocene.

 Description 
Cetotherium riabini possibly followed a generalized feeding strategy combining continuous suction feeding with intermittent suction feeding.

 Taxonomy 
The Cetotheriidae and this genus have been used as wastebasket taxa for all baleen whale types. This family was thought to have been long gone during the Pliocene, up until 2012, where scientists recovered the pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata) as the only survivor.

 Formerly assigned species 
This is a list of species that have probably got moved to another genus or removed from Cetotherium:

 Cetotherium furlongi
 Cetotherium gastaldii (now type species of the genus Eschrichtioides)
 Cetotherium klinderi
 Cetotherium maicopicum
 Cetotherium mayeri (reassigned to the genus Mithridatocetus, nomen dubium)

 Evolution 
During the Oligocene period, the cetotheres started to emerge. From an evolutionary perspective, they share some characteristics of the Balaenopteridae and Eschrichtiidae.

 Gallery 

 References 

 Other websites 

 https://www.gbif.org/species/4970908
Category:Baleen whales
Category:Miocene
Category:Animals of North America
Category:Cetaceans
Category:Whales