Taxonomy, skeletal morphology, and evolutionary history

This chapter presents the taxonomy, evolutionary history, and a morphological and comparative description of the skeleton of Pontoporia blainvillei (Gervais and d’Orbigny, 1844), including ontogenic aspects and intraspecific variation. We also discuss several important cartilages and joints and the fenestrae and main foramina. Additionally, we present a summary of the main extinct closely related taxa, emphasizing those of the Southern Hemisphere, especially South America, to set the morphological, evolutionary, and paleobiogeographical context of the Pontoporia lineage within the Pontoporiidae and the Inioidea, including its evolutionary origin.