Raoellidae
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Raoellidae | |
|---|---|
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| Indohyus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Cetartiodactyla |
| Suborder: | Cetancodonta |
| Family: | Raoellidae |
| Genera | |
Previously grouped with Helohyidae, Raoellidae is now a family in the Suborder Cetancodonta. It is found in Eocene of South and Southeast Asia.
A December 2007 article in Nature by Thewissen et al. used an exceptionally complete skeleton of Indohyus from Kashmir indicates that raoellids are the "missing link" sister group to whales (Cetacea). All other Artiodactyla are "cousins" of these two groups. δO18 values and osteosclerotic bones indicate that the racoon-like Indohyus was habitutually aquatic, but δC13 values suggest that it rarely fed in the water. The authors suggest this documents an intermediate step in the transition back to water completed by the whales.
