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Basilosaurid Sizes
Basilosauridae is a family of extinct cetaceans. They lived during the middle to the early late Eocene and are known from all continents, including Antarctica. They were probably the first fully aquatic cetaceans.Buono M, Fordyce R.E., Marx F.G., Fernández M.S. & Reguero M. (2019). "Eocene Antarctica: a window into the earliest history of modern whales". ''Advances in Polar Science'' 30(3): p. 293-302. doi10.13679/j.advps.2019.0005/ref> The group is noted to be a paraphyletic assemblage of stem group whales from which the monophyletic Neoceti are derived. Characteristics Basilosaurids ranged in size from and were fairly similar to modern cetaceans in overall body form and function. Some genera tend to show signs of convergent evolution with mosasaurs by having long serpentine body shape, which suggests that this body plan seems to have been rather successful. Basilosaurid forelimbs have broad and fan-shaped scapulae attached to a humerus, radius, and ulna which are flatte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lutetian
The Lutetian is, in the geologic timescale, a stage or age in the Eocene. It spans the time between . The Lutetian is preceded by the Ypresian and is followed by the Bartonian. Together with the Bartonian it is sometimes referred to as the Middle Eocene Subepoch. Stratigraphic definition The Lutetian was named after Lutetia, the Latin name for the city of Paris. The Lutetian Stage was introduced in scientific literature by French geologist Albert de Lapparent in 1883 and revised by A. Blondeau in 1981. The base of the Lutetian Stage is at the first appearance of the nanofossil ''Blackites inflatus'', according to an official reference profile (GSSP) established in 2011. Of two candidates located in Spain, the Gorrondatxe section was chosen.See thwebsite of Eustoquio Molinafor these candidates. The top of the Lutetian (the base of the Bartonian) is at the first appearance of calcareous nanoplankton species ''Reticulofenestra reticulata''. The Lutetian overlaps with the Geisel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dorudon
''Dorudon'' ("spear-tooth") is a genus of extinct basilosaurid ancient whales that lived alongside ''Basilosaurus'' 40.4 to 33.9 million years ago in the Eocene. It was a small whale, with ''D. atrox'' measuring long and weighing . ''Dorudon'' lived in warm seas around the world and fed on small fish and mollusks. Fossils have been found along the former shorelines of the Tethys Sea in present-day Egypt and Pakistan, as well as in the United States, New Zealand, and Western Sahara. Taxonomic history described ''Dorudon serratus'' based on a fragmentary maxilla and a few teeth found in South Carolina. He concluded that the teeth must have belonged to a mammal since they were two-rooted, that they must have been teeth from a juvenile since they were hollow, and also noted their similarity to the teeth then described for ''Zeuglodon'' (''Basilosaurus''). When exploring the type locality, Gibbes discovered a lower jaw and twelve caudal vertebrae, which he felt obliged to assign ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ocucajea
''Ocucajea'' is an extinct genus of basilosaurid cetacean from Middle Eocene (Bartonian stage) deposits of southern Peru. ''Ocucajea'' is known from the holotype MUSM 1442, a partial skeleton. It was collected in the Archaeocete Valley site, from the Paracas Formation of the Pisco Basin about .''Ocucajea'' at .org The genus was named after the town Ocucaje in the near the type locality, and the species after José Luis Pickling Zol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masracetus
''Masracetus'' (from Arabic ''Masr'', "Egypt", and Greek ''ketos'', "whale") is an extinct genus of basilosaurid ancient whale known from the Late Eocene (Priabonian, ) of Egypt. ''Masracetus'' was briefly described in an addendum by and is known from just an assemblage of vertebrae and a poorly reconstructed skull from 1908. The lumbar vertebrae are large but relatively short (anteroposteriorly) compared to those of other archaeocetes; the diameter is almost the same as for ''Basilosaurus isis'' but the length is less than half of the latter. ''Masracetus'' is larger than ''Cynthiacetus'', but it is suggested that the former might be synonymized as a junior synonym with the latter. The species name honours Richard Markgraf, palaeontologist Ernst Stromer's fossil collector, who collected the type specimen in 1905. ''Masracetus''' type locality is the Birket Qarun Formation in Dimê (, paleocoordinates ) north of lake Birket Qarun, but specimens have also been found in the Q ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chrysocetus
''Chrysocetus'' (from Greek ''chrysous'', "golden", and ''ketos'', "whale", in reference to the gold-colored bones of the type specimen) is a genus of extinct early whale known from Late Eocene-aged fossils of the eastern United States and western Africa. Taxonomy The type species, ''Chrysocetus healyorum'', is based on a single subadult specimen from the late middle or early late Eocene of Orangeburg County, South Carolina (, paleocoordinates ). The holotype, SCSM 87.195, consists of a partial skull with lower jaws, ten teeth, and the hyoid apparatus; 21 vertebrae, some ribs and a sternum; a partial left forelimb; and partial innominates. A second species, ''Chrysocetus fouadassii'', is known from Bartonian-age deposits in the Western Sahara.Philip D. Gingerich and Samir Zouhri (2015). "New fauna of archaeocete whales (Mammalia, Cetacea) from the Bartonian middle Eocene of southern Morocco". Journal of African Earth Sciences 111: 273–286. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2015.08.00 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ancalecetus
''Ancalecetus'' (from Greek ''ankale'', "bent arm", and ''ketos'', "whale") is an extinct genus of early whale known from the Late Eocene (Priabonian, ) Birket Qarun Formation (, paleocoordinates ) in Wadi Al-Hitan, Egypt. The species is named after anthropologist and primate researcher Elwyn L. Simons who discovered the type specimen in 1985. The holotype is a partial cranium (the top of the skull was destroyed by erosion), both dentaries, 20 vertebrae and some sternal elements, partial ribs, and most of both forelimbs. ''Ancalecetus'' differs from other archaeocetes and modern whales in having narrow scapulae, very limited mobility in the shoulder joint, and fusion of the humerus, ulna, and radius at the elbow joint. In the wrist, the carpal bones are small like in ''Zygorhiza'', but, unlike in this other basilosaurid, the magnum is fused with the trapezoid in ''Ancalecetus''. Forelimbs The well-preserved forelimbs are the most distinctive parts of ''A. simonsi''. A broad s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Platyosphys
''Platyosphys'' is a genus of basilosaurid from Middle Eocene (Bartonian) of the eastern United States and Ukraine. Taxonomy The type species, ''Platyosphys paulsoni'', was originally described as '' Zeuglodon paulsoni'' in 1873 on the basis of several vertebrae from a Bartonian-age horizon in southern Ukraine. In his 1936 monograph regarding Archaeoceti, Remington Kellogg recognized the distinct nature of the taxon and coined the new genus ''Platyosphys'' for ''Z. paulsoni''. Another new species of ''Platyosphys'', ''P. einori'', was coined for vertebrae, a scapula, and rib fragments in 2001. In the original description of ''Basilotritus ''Basilotritus'' is a genus of basilosaurid early whale known from the early late Middle Eocene (late Lutetian to Bartonian, ) Kiev Formation of the Ukraine, Stockletten Formation of Germany, Tongeren Formation of the Netherlands, Giushi F ...'', ''Platyosphys'' and its constituent species were considered ''nomina dubia'' because th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eocetus
''Eocetus'' is an extinct protocetid early whale known from the early late Eocene (Bartonian, ) Giushi Formation in Gebel Mokattam, (, paleocoordinates ) outside Cairo, Egypt. The specimen was first named by Fraas as ''Mesocetus schweinfurthi''. However, the name ''Mesocetus'' was previously used causing a change to the species name to ''Eocetus schweinfurthi''. Since the genus was first described in the early 20th century, several other specimens, mostly isolated vertebrae, have been attributed to ''Eocetus'', but the taxonomic status of these widely distributed specimens remain disputed. Discovery and taxonomy described "''Mesocetus schweinfurthi''" based on a dorsoventrally compressed skull with only I2 ''in situ'', a specimen supposedly originating from a 40 Ma Tethyan deposit at Mokattam. Fraas also referred two isolated teeth, P4 and M1, to the skull and the most important of his specimens is not the deformed skull, but the upper molar which retains three roots and a w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Basilotritus
''Basilotritus'' is a genus of basilosaurid early whale known from the early late Middle Eocene (late Lutetian to Bartonian, ) Kiev Formation of the Ukraine, Stockletten Formation of Germany, Tongeren Formation of the Netherlands, Giushi Formation of Egypt and the United States ( Castle Hayne Formation, North Carolina and Piney Point Formation, Virginia). ''Basilotritus uheni'' ''Basilotritus uheni'' has been found in the late Middle Eocene (Bartonian) Kiev Formation at Beloskelevatoye, Ukraine, making it the oldest fossil cetacean from Eastern Europe. Its holotype, NMNH-P OF-2096, consists of a partial skeleton. ''Basilotritus wardi'' ''Basilotritus wardi'' is known from a partial skeleton collected in the late Lutetian (~42 Ma) of North Carolina. It was originally described as a species of the protocetid ''Eocetus ''Eocetus'' is an extinct protocetid early whale known from the early late Eocene (Bartonian, ) Giushi Formation in Gebel Mokattam, (, paleocoordi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Basilosaurinae
Basilosaurinae is a subfamily of cetaceans archaeocetes containing two genera: ''Basilosaurus'' and ''Basiloterus''.. Retrieved July 2013. They were characterized by elongated distal thoracic vertebrae, lumbar, and proximal sacrococcygeal. All known members of the subfamily are larger than their relatives of the Dorudontinae subfamily except ''Cynthiacetus''. Classification * Subfamily Basilosaurinae ** Genus ''Basilosaurus'' *** ''Basilosaurus cetoides'' *** ''Basilosaurus isis'' ** Genus ''Basiloterus ''Basiloterus'' is an extinct genus of late-Eocene primitive whale from the Drazinda Formation, Pakistan and possibly also the Barton Group (originally Barton Beds) of England.Gingerich ''et al.'', 1997 ''Basiloterus husseini'' is the closest k ...'' *** ''Basiloterus hussaini'' Notes References * * Basilosauridae Eocene first appearances Eocene extinctions {{paleo-whale-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cynthiacetus
''Cynthiacetus'' is an extinct genus of basilosaurid early whale that lived during the Late Eocene (Bartonian-Priabonian, .) Specimens have been found in the southeastern United States and Peru ( Otuma Formation). Description ''Cynthiacetus'' was named after the town of Cynthia, Mississippi, close to where the type specimen for the species ''C. maxwelli'' was discovered. The skull of ''C. maxwelli'' was similar in size and morphology to that of ''Basilosaurus cetoides'', but ''Cynthiacetus'' lacked the elongated vertebrae of ''Basilosaurus''. erected the genus to avoid the ''nomen dubium'' ''Pontogeneus'' (which was based on poorly described and now vanished specimens). ''Cynthiacetus'' was smaller than ''Masracetus ''Masracetus'' (from Arabic ''Masr'', "Egypt", and Greek ''ketos'', "whale") is an extinct genus of basilosaurid ancient whale known from the Late Eocene (Priabonian, ) of Egypt. ''Masracetus'' was briefly described in an addendum by and is k ...''. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dorudontinae
Dorudontinae are a group of extinct cetaceans that are related to ''Basilosaurus''.. Retrieved July 2013. Classification * Subfamily Dorudontinae ** Genus ''Ancalecetus'' *** ''Ancalecetus simonsi'' ** Genus ''Chrysocetus'' *** ''Chrysocetus fouadassii'' *** ''Chrysocetus healyorum'' ** Genus ''Cynthiacetus'' *** ''Cynthiacetus maxwelli'' *** ''Cynthiacetus peruvianus'' ** Genus ''Dorudon'' *** ''Dorudon atrox'' *** ''Dorudon serratus'' ** Genus ''Masracetus'' *** ''Masracetus markgrafi'' ** Genus ''Saghacetus'' *** ''Saghacetus osiris'' ** Genus ''Stromerius'' *** ''Stromerius nidensis'' ** Genus ''Zygorhiza ''Zygorhiza'' ("Yoke-Root") is an extinct genus of basilosaurid early whale known from the Late Eocene (Priabonian, 38–34 Ma) of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, United States, and the Bartonian (43–37 Ma on the New Zealand geologic time ...'' *** ''Zygorhiza kochii'' Notes References * Basilosauridae {{paleo-whale-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
