Protororqualus

Protororqualus Temporal range: Pliocene, 3.6-2.588 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Skeleton
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Infraorder:	Cetacea
Family:	Balaenopteridae
Genus:	†Protororqualus Bisconti 2007
Species
†P. cuverii [originally Balaena] (type) Fischer 1829

Protororqualus is a genus of extinct rorqual from the late Pliocene (Piacenzian, 3.6 to 2.6 Ma) of Mount Pulgnasco, Italy (45°06′N 9°42′E / 45.1°N 9.7°E / 45.1; 9.7: paleocoordinates 45°00′N 9°36′E / 45.0°N 9.6°E / 45.0; 9.6).^[1]

The analysis made by Bisconti 2007 identified Protororqualus as a late representative of the rorquals which survived in the Mediterranean at least until the late Pliocene. This would indicate that the Mediterranean Basin played a vital role in preserving primitive rorquals, while more derived forms established themselves in other oceans.