Dhedacetus

Dhedacetus; Temporal range: Middle Eocene, 48.6–40.4 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Infraorder:	Cetacea
Family:	†Protocetidae
Genus:	†Dhedacetus; Bajpai and Thewissen, 2014
Species:	†D. hyaeni
Binomial name
	†Dhedacetus hyaeni; Bajpai and Thewissen, 2014

Dhedacetus hyaeni is a protocetid cetacean from the middle Eocene (late Lutetian, 42 mya). It is the only species in the genus Dhedacetus.^[1] The type specimen was recovered from the Indian Harudi Formation near the town of Dhedadi, Kutch.^[2]

Description

Only one skull and some vertebra are known.^[3] D. hyaeni is the smallest protocetid from Kutch. Its premolars and molars are about the same size as in other protocetids such as Babiacetus, Rodhocetus and Maiacetus. It has a long, broad snout and high ocular orbits.^[4]^[5]

The genus name comes from the town close by and the species name comes from a local hyena.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b Sunil Bajpai; J.G.M. Thewissen (2014). "Protocetid cetaceans (Mammalia) from the Eocene of India". Palaeontologia Electronica. 17 (3, 34A): 19 p. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
^ "Dhedacetus hyaeni". Fossilworks. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
^ Thewissen, J. G. M. (2014-11-13). The Walking Whales: From Land to Water in Eight Million Years. Univ of California Press. p. 163. ISBN 9780520277069.
^ Berta, Annalisa (2017-10-29). The Rise of Marine Mammals: 50 Million Years of Evolution. JHU Press. p. 159. ISBN 9781421423265.
^ Marx, Felix G.; Lambert, Olivier; Uhen, Mark D. (2016-03-29). Cetacean Paleobiology. John Wiley & Sons. p. 100. ISBN 9781118561362.

[BT2014-1] Sunil Bajpai; J.G.M. Thewissen (2014). "Protocetid cetaceans (Mammalia) from the Eocene of India". Palaeontologia Electronica. 17 (3, 34A): 19 p. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2019-03-06.

[Fossilworks-2] "Dhedacetus hyaeni". Fossilworks. Retrieved December 17, 2021.

[walkling-3] Thewissen, J. G. M. (2014-11-13). The Walking Whales: From Land to Water in Eight Million Years. Univ of California Press. p. 163. ISBN 9780520277069.

[rise-4] Berta, Annalisa (2017-10-29). The Rise of Marine Mammals: 50 Million Years of Evolution. JHU Press. p. 159. ISBN 9781421423265.

[paleo-5] Marx, Felix G.; Lambert, Olivier; Uhen, Mark D. (2016-03-29). Cetacean Paleobiology. John Wiley & Sons. p. 100. ISBN 9781118561362.

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