2009/12/12 by Lisa Noelle Cooper, J. G. M. Thewissen, S. T. Hussain · 2 citations
Environmental Science · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Marine animal studies overview #Evolution and Paleontology Studies #Bat Biology and Ecology Studies #Holotype #Cetacea #Paleontology #Geology #Dentition #Zoology #Biology #Genus
paper · doi:10.1671/039.029.0423
openalex publication_date 2009/12/12 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Two new species of fossil cetaceans (Pakicetus calcis and Pakicetus chittas) are described from a new locality in the Kuldana Formation (Lutetian, middle Eocene) of the Kala Chitta Hills in Northern Pakistan. Additional dentitions of the pakicetid Nalacetus ratimitus, the remingtonocetid Attockicetus, and additional dental material of the holotype of Ambulocetus natans are also described. Dental morphology of Nalacetus is intermediate between pakicetids and ambulocetids, as indicated by the presence of an ambulocetid-like P4, but pakicetid-like molars. Premolars of the specimen tentatively described as Attockicetus imply that some pakicetids and remingtonocetids were coeval. Furthermore, the new pakicetid dentitions described here are the most complete to date and further our understanding of pakicetid dental diversity.