| Pacificotaria Temporal range: Early-middleMiocene | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Clade: | Pinnipedimorpha |
| Clade: | Pinnipediformes |
| Genus: | †Pacificotaria Barnes, 1992 |
| Species: | †P. hadromma |
| Binomial name | |
| †Pacificotaria hadromma Barnes, 1992 | |
Pacificotaria is an extinct genus of basalpinnipediform that lived inOregon during the early to middleMiocene epoch.[1] The only species of this genus isPacificotaria hadromma making it amonotypic genus.[2]
It is a possiblejunior synonym ofPteronarctos. However, it is distinguished from its protrudingorbits that is positioned further anteriorly on thecranium, its larger bonynares, a robustrostrum, a vaulted palate, and straighter upper cheek tooth rows.[1]