Brachydelphis is a genus of pontoporiid known from the Late Miocene Pisco Formation of Peru and the Bahía Inglesa Formation of Chile.
Taxonomy Two species are recognized, B. jahuayensis and B. mazeasi. B. mazeasi has a shortened rostrum that gives Brachydelphis its name,C. de Muizon. 1988. Les vertebres fossiles de la Formation Pisco (Perou). Troisieme partie: Les Odontocetes (Cetacea, Mammalia) du Miocene. Editions Recherche sur les Civilisations (78)1-244. B. jahuayensis differs from the type species in having a longer snout and higher tooth count.O. Lambert and C. de Muizon. 2013. A new long-snouted species of the Miocene pontoporiid dolphin Brachydelphis and a review of the Mio-Pliocene marine mammal levels in the Sacaco Basin, Peru. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 33(3):709-721
Biology Brachydelphis mazeasi was capable of suction-feeding judging from its short rostrum, but the longer rostrum of B. jahauyensis allowed it to capture small prey items.
See also
Evolution of cetaceans List of cetaceans List of extinct cetaceans
References