Raoellidae

The Raoellidae, previously grouped within Helohyidae, are an extinct family of semiaquatic digitigrade artiodactyls in the clade Whippomorpha. Fossils of raoellids are found in Eocene strata of South and Southeast Asia.

An exceptionally complete skeleton of Indohyus from Kashmir suggests that raoellids are the "missing link" sister group to whales (Cetacea). All other Artiodactyla are relatives of these two groups. δO18 values and osteosclerotic bones indicate that the raccoon-like Indohyus was habitually aquatic. However, it is still unclear if Indohyus primarily fed on land or in water. It is hypothesized that cetaceans evolved from ancestors similar to Indohyus and later fully adapted to aquatic life.

Taxonomy

 * Raoella
 * Raoella dograi
 * Haqueina
 * Haqueina haquei
 * Indohyus
 * Indohyus indirae
 * Indohyus major
 * Kunmunella
 * Kunmunella kalakotensis
 * Kunmunella transversa
 * Metkatius
 * Metkatius kashmiriensis
 * Khirtharia
 * Khirtharia aurea
 * Khirtharia dayi
 * Khirtharia inflatus