Ambulocetidae
| Ambulocetidae | ||||||||||||
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Skeletal reconstruction of Ambulocetus , in the background below Pakicetus |
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| Temporal occurrence | ||||||||||||
| Eocene | ||||||||||||
| 56 to 33.9 million years | ||||||||||||
| Locations | ||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Ambulocetidae | ||||||||||||
| Thewissen , Madar & Hussain , 1996 | ||||||||||||
The Ambulocetidae are a group of extinct ancestors of the whales . They include the genera Ambulocetus , Gandakasia and Himalayan acetus . While the first is known from the skull, the teeth and most of the rest of the skeleton, only teeth and jaw fragments of the last two have been preserved in fossil form.
These primeval whales were well adapted to a life in the water, but could also move on land. In their way of life and the type of locomotion they could be compared with today's otters , but partly also with crocodiles due to their special anatomical features.
See also: Pakicetidae , Basilosaurus , Dorudontidae
Genera
- Ambulocetus Thewissen et al., 1994
- Gandakasia Dehm & Oettingen-Spielberg, 1958
- Himalayacetus Bajpai & Gingerich, 1998
See also: Dorudontidae , Basilosaurus , Pakicetidae
literature
- Mark D. Uhen: The Origin (s) of Whales. In: Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences. Vol. 38, May 2010, pp. 189-219, doi : 10.1146 / annurev-earth-040809-152453 .
Web links
- Johannes Albers: The early ancient whales of Indopakistan - An overview of the most important forms and their research . (Retrieved October 26, 2010.) On: Cetacea.de