Dhedacetus Temporal range: Middle Eocene,
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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
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Binomial name | |
†Dhedacetus hyaeni Bajpai and Thewissen, 2014
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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]
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]