Himalayacetus

Himalayacetus
Temporal range: Early Eocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Suborder: Archaeoceti
Family: Ambulocetidae
Genus: Himalayacetus
Monastersky, 1998
Binomial name
Himalayacetus subathuensis
Monastersky, 1998

Himalayacetus is an extinct genus of carnivorous aquatic mammal of the family Ambulocetidae from the coastline of the ancient Tethys Ocean during the Eocene, living from 55.8—48.6 mya, existing for approximately 7.2 million years.[1]

Himalayacetus lived in the ancient coastline of the ancient Tethys Ocean before the Indian Plate had collided with the Cimmerian coast. A single fossil was found in the Himalayas.

Taxonomy

Himalayacetus was named by Bajpai and Gingerich (1998).[2] Its type is Himalayacetus subathuensis. It was considered monophyletic by Uhen (2010). It was assigned to Pakicetidae by Bajpai and Gingerich (1998) and McLeod and Barnes (2008); and to Ambulocetidae by Thewissen et al. (2001) and Uhen (2010).[3]

References

  1. ^ PaleoBiology Database: Himalayacetus, basic info
  2. ^ S. Bajpai and P. D. Gingerich. 1998. A new Eocene archaeocete (Mammalia, Cetacea) from India and the time of origin of whales. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 95:15464-15468
  3. ^ M. D. Uhen. 2010. Mark D. Uhen's opinions.