In Depth Dorudon is a good example of some of the many primitive whales that were swimming in the world’s oceans during the Eocene period. As an early cetacean, Dorudon was a dedicated predator of other marine creatures that may have included everything from fish to other marine mammals. Dorudon itself does bear a strong … Read more
In Depth The description of the whale genus Basiloterus was only based upon the description of two lumber vertebrae. These vertebrae have been described as being close to the form of the vertebrae of Basilosaurus, though not as long. This may indicate that although similar in form, Basiloterus was quite a bit smaller than the … Read more
In Depth At first glance the large teeth of Janjucetus could lead you to think that it is one of the toothed whales but in fact closer analysis of the skull has revealed it to actually be one of the baleen whales. Since the earliest ancestor of the baleen whales predates Janjucetus by many millions … Read more
In Depth When first described the prehistoric whale Livyatan was actually named Leviathan after the biblical sea monster. Unfortunately however Leviathan had already been used to name a mastodon now known as Mammut (Leviathan is actually a synonym to this genus, but still cannot be used). As such the Hebrew word for Leviathan, Livyatan, is … Read more
In Depth Himalayacetus is one of if not the oldest archaeocetid whale currently known to us. Unfortunately at the time of writing the only part of this primitive whale that we have is a partial jaw, but this is still enough to identify Himalayacetus as a relative of the better known Ambulocetus. Himalayacetus should not … Read more
In Depth Although not as well known as Pakicetus and Ambulocetus, Rodhocetus is nonetheless important to the study of how whales evolved from land animals. Rodhocetus is but one of a slowly but steadily growing number of transitional fossil genera, but in Rodhocetus the change can actually be seen across the species as well. … Read more
In Depth Fucaia is a genus of aetiocetid whale known to have lived in the waters of the Pacific North-West during the early Oligocene. A former species of Chonecetus, C. goedertorum, is now reassigned as belonging to the Fucaia genus. Further Reading - A new Early Oligocene toothed ‘baleen’ whale (Mysticeti: Aetiocetidae) from western North … Read more
In Depth Xenorophus was a predatory whale that so far has only been found in the marine fossil Formations of South Carolina. Xenorophus is also the type genus of the Xenorophidae which also includes Albertocetus and Archaeodelphis. Further Reading - Description of an apparently new toothed cetacean from South Carolina - R. Kellogg - 1923.
In Depth Carolinacetus is a genus of protocetid whale known to have lived around what is now South Carolina during the later half of the Eocene. Carolinacetus appears to have been slightly larger than other protocetids such as Georgiacetus, while also being one of the more primitive protocetid genera known from North America. Further Reading … Read more
In Depth Indocetus is a genus of protocetid whale that was first name from the discovery of a partial skull from the Harudi Formation of India in 1975. In 1993 new whale fossils from the Domanda Formation of Pakistan were added to the Indocetus genus, and this was a significant development since these were the … Read more