Aegicetus

Aegicetus is an extinct genus of protocetid whale based on a partial skull with much of an associated postcranial skeleton discovered in Egypt.[1][2] It lived around 35 million years ago (during the Late Eocene), making it the youngest known protocetid to date.[3] Aegicetus was discovered in 2007 at Wadi El Hitan (Gehannam Formation) as a relatively complete skeleton and a partial second specimen. They were assigned to a new genus and species in 2019 by Philip D. Gingerich et al.[1][2][4]

Silhouette showing the size of the holotype.
Dentary remains of the holotype.

Aegicetus
Temporal range: Late Eocene, 35 Ma
↓
Drawing of Aegicetus skeleton in swimming position showing known remains in gold.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Cetacea
Suborder:
†Archaeoceti
Family:
†Protocetidae
Genus:
†Aegicetus

Gingerich et al., 2019
Binomial name
†Aegicetus gehennae
Gingerich et al., 2019

Aegicetus is reported to have been intermediate in form and functionally transitional in having a larger and more powerful vertebral column of a tail-powered swimmer.[1][3] It differs from Peregocetus by lacking a firm sacroiliac joint and from Rodhocetus by having smaller hind feet, indicating it were less capable of moving on land and relied less on its hind limbs to propel through the water.[1][3]

References
  1. Philip D. Gingerich, Mohammed Sameh M. Antar und Iyad S. Zalmot: "Aegicetus gehennae, a new late Eocene protocetid (Cetacea, Archaeoceti) from Wadi Al Hitan, Egypt, and the transition to tail-powered swimming in whales". PLoS ONE 14(12): e0225391 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0225391
  2. "Correction: Aegicetus gehennae, a new late Eocene protocetid (Cetacea, Archaeoceti) from Wadi Al Hitan, Egypt, and the transition to tail-powered swimming in whales". PLoS ONE. National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine. 2020-03-12. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0230596. PMC 7067414. PMID 32163522. Retrieved 2020-08-22.
  3. "New Eocene-Period Whale Unearthed in Egypt". SciNews. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  4. "Newly described fossil whale represents intermediate stage between foot-powered and tail-powered swimming". University of Michigan News. Michigan, U.S.: University of Michigan. 2019-12-11. Retrieved 2020-08-22.
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