Benites-Palomino A. auteur aut IRD Aguirre-Fernandez G. auteur aut IRD Baby Patrice auteur aut IRD Ochoa D. auteur aut IRD Altamirano A. auteur aut IRD Flynn J. J. auteur aut IRD Sánchez-Villagra M. R. auteur aut IRD Tejada J. V. auteur aut IRD de Muizon C. auteur aut IRD Salas-Gismondi R. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access Several dolphin lineages have independently invaded freshwater systems. Among these, the evolution of the South Asian river dolphin Platanista and its relatives (Platanistidae) remains virtually unknown as fossils are scarce. Here, we describe Pebanista yacuruna gen. et sp. nov., a dolphin from the Miocene proto-Amazonia of Peru, recovered in phylogenies as the closest relative of Platanista. Morphological characters such as an elongated rostrum and large supraorbital crests, along with ecological interpretations, indicate that this odontocete was fully adapted to fresh waters. Pebanista constitutes the largest freshwater odontocete known, with an estimated body length of 3 meters, highlighting the ample resource availability and biotic diversity in the region, during the Early to Middle Miocene. The finding of Pebanista in proto-Amazonian layers attests that platanistids ventured into freshwater ecosystems not only in South Asia but also in South America, before the modern Amazon River dolphin, during a crucial moment for the Amazonian evolution. specialized PEROU 064 034 10 12 eadk6320 [9 p.] 2024 2375-2548 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010090627 10.1126/sciadv.adk6320 2375-2548 [F B010090627] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010090627 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/2024-06/010090627.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2024-06-12 2026-06-12 fdi:010090627 fre