| Monotherium | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Clade: | Pinnipedia |
| Family: | Phocidae |
| Genus: | †Monotherium van Beneden,1874 |
| Species | |
| |
Monotherium is an extinct genus ofphocid belonging to the subfamilyMonachinae. It is known from fossils found in the middle to lateMiocene ofBelgium.
The type and only species ofMonotherium isM. delognii, described from theTortonian-ageDiest Formation of Antwerp, Belgium, on the basis of the lectotype pelvis IRSNB 1153-M257a, b.[1]
Monotherium affine andM. aberratum were previously assigned to this genus, as well as"Phoca" gaudini, but the former two are now considered a distinct genus,Frisiphoca, whilegaudini has been renamedNoriphoca. The middle Miocene phocid"Phoca" wymani Leidy, 1853 was assigned toMonotherium by Ray (1976), but was considered a monachine of uncertain affinities.[2][3][4]
