| Denebola brachycephala | |
|---|---|
| D. brachycephala andPraekogia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Infraorder: | Cetacea |
| Family: | Monodontidae |
| Genus: | †Denebola Barnes, 1984 |
| Species: | †D. brachycephala |
| Binomial name | |
| †Denebola brachycephala | |
Denebola is anextinct genus ofwhale belonging to thefamilyMonodontidae. It contains a single known species,Denebola brachycephala. It is the earliest known ancestor of thebeluga,Delphinapterus leucas, and dates from theUpper Miocene period.[2] A fossil was found in theBaja California peninsula, indicating that the family once existed in warmer waters.[3]