''Kharodacetus'' is a genus of

protocetid Protocetidae, the protocetids, form a diverse and heterogeneous group of extinct cetaceans known from Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, and North America. Description There were many genera, and some of these are very well known (e.g., ''Ro ...

cetacean Cetacea (; , ) is an infraorder of aquatic mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Key characteristics are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size and exclusively carnivorous diet. They propel them ...

from the middle Eocene (late Lutetian, 42 mya) of Kutch, Gujarat, southwestern India.

Description

Kharodacetus sahnii, plaster replica of original, IITR-SB 3189

''Kharodacetus'' is a large-sized protocetid with large premolars and a flat supraorbital shield with large orbits (eye sockets). Its snout is long and relatively broad, (though the snout is narrower in '' Gaviacetus'' and ''

Makaracetus ''Makaracetus'' is an extinct protocetid early whale the remains of which were found in 2004 in Lutetian layers of the Domanda Formation in the Sulaiman Range of Balochistan, Pakistan (, paleocoordinates ). ''Makaracetus'' is unique among arc ...

'', broader in ''

Takracetus ''Takracetus'' was a primitive cetacean that lived approximately . The type specimen (GSP-UM 3041) is a partial skull though the literature mentions a second more complete specimen. Notes References * * Protocetidae Prehistoric ceta ...

''), its orbit is high above the palate, and the premolars are large and robust. The molars have a large protocone (unlike ''

Babiacetus ''Babiacetus'' is an extinct genus of early cetacean that lived during the late Lutetian middle Eocene of India ().. Retrieved April 2013. It was named after its type locality, the Harudi Formation in the Babia Hills (: paleocoordinates ), K ...

'') and a large metacone (unlike ''

Maiacetus ''Maiacetus'' ("mother whale") is a genus of early middle Eocene (c. 47.5 mya) cetacean from the Habib Rahi Formation of Pakistan. Paleobiology The genus contains a single species, ''Maiacetus inuus'', first described in 2009 on the basis of ...

''), and are, relative to P4, longer than in other protocetids.

Classification

''Kharodacetus'' was originally described as a species of '' Gaviacetus'', ''G. sahnii'' in 1998.Bajpai, S.; Thewissen, J. G. M. (1998). "Middle Eocene Cetaceans from the Harudi and Subathu Formations of India". In Thewissen, J. G. M. ''The Emergence of Whales. Advances in vertebrate paleobiology''. New York: Plenum Press. pp. 213–233. . OCLC 300450327. It was distinguished based on the larger size of the teeth (150-200% bigger than those of ''Gaviacetus''). However, subsequently discovered remains described in 2014 resulted in the species being allocated to its own genus.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q18388005 Protocetidae Fossil taxa described in 2014 Prehistoric cetacean genera Fossils of India Eocene mammals of Asia