Metopocetus is an extinct genus of baleen whale belonging to the family Cetotheriidae. The type species is Metopocetus durinasus.
Description Metopocetus is diagnosable by lateral occipital crests continuous with temporal crests that diverge forward, as well as elongate frontals, and short nasal bones that project posterior to frontals.E. D. Cope. 1896. Sixth contribution to the knowledge of the marine Miocene fauna of North America. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 35(150):139–146
Location Metopocetus durinasus is known only from the middle Miocene (Langhian) Calvert Beach Member of the Calvert Formation of Westmoreland County, Virginia. Its type specimen is USNM 8518.M. D. Uhen, R. E. Fordyce, and L. G. Barnes. 2008. Mysticeti. In C. M. Janis, K. M. Scott, and L. L. Jacobs (eds.), Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America II:607–628 On the other hand, Metopocetus hunteri is based on a partial cranium from the Breda Formation of the Netherlands.
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