Tupelocetus

Tupelocetus
Temporal range: Middle Eocene, 41.3–38.0 Ma
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Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: †Protocetidae
Subfamily: †Georgiacetinae
Genus: †Tupelocetus
M. L. Gibson et al. 2019
Species:
†T. palmeri
Binomial name
†Tupelocetus palmeri
M. L. Gibson et al. 2019

Tupelocetus is an extinct genus of early cetacean found in the Bartonian (41.3 to 38.0 mya) Middle Eocene Tupelo Bay Formation (33°20′40″N 80°13′49″W / 33.34444°N 80.23027°W / 33.34444; -80.23027), in Berkeley County, South Carolina.[1][2]

Tupelocetus is known from a single fossil specimen, holotype ChM PV6950, which consists of a partial cranium consisting of both P2 teeth (premolars), the right orbital, posterior nasal, and multiple pieces of the ears, including complete petrosal bones and rear processes of the tympanic bones. The holotype was collected in 1999 by Billy Palmer, from whom the singular species of the genus, Tupelocetus palmeri receives its name.[1] The specimen Palmer collected, and later prepared and donated, is now part of the Charleston Museum Vertebrate Paleontology Collection.[3]

Tupelocetus differed from other protocetids due to its deep occipital cavity, monocuspid premolars, and large nasal processes.[1] It has been found via tip-dating to be one of the most crownward (or latest surviving) georgiacetine protocetids, along with the genus Aegicetus.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c Gibson, Matthew L.; Mnieckowski, John; Geisler, Jonathan H. (2018-11-02). "Tupelocetus palmeri , a new species of protocetid whale (Mammalia, Cetacea) from the middle Eocene of South Carolina". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 38 (6): e1555165. Bibcode:2018JVPal..38E5165G. doi:10.1080/02724634.2018.1555165. ISSN 0272-4634.
  2. ^ Staff, The PLOS ONE (2020-03-12). "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. 15 (3): e0230596. Bibcode:2020PLoSO..1530596.. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0230596. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 7067414. PMID 32163522.
  3. ^ "Tupelocetus palmeri, Whale skull | Charleston Museum". www.charlestonmuseum.org. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  4. ^ Antar, Mohammed S.; Gohar, Abdullah S.; El-Desouky, Heba; Seiffert, Erik R.; El-Sayed, Sanaa; Claxton, Alexander G.; Sallam, Hesham M. (2023-08-10). "A diminutive new basilosaurid whale reveals the trajectory of the cetacean life histories during the Eocene". Communications Biology. 6 (1): 707. doi:10.1038/s42003-023-04986-w. ISSN 2399-3642. PMC 10415296. PMID 37563270.
  5. ^ Gohar, Abdullah S.; Antar, Mohammed S.; Boessenecker, Robert W.; Sabry, Dalia A.; El-Sayed, Sanaa; Seiffert, Erik R.; Zalmout, Iyad S.; Sallam, Hesham M. (2021-08-25). "A new protocetid whale offers clues to biogeography and feeding ecology in early cetacean evolution". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 288 (1957): 20211368. doi:10.1098/rspb.2021.1368. ISSN 0962-8452. PMC 8385364. PMID 34428967.


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