Dhedacetus

Dhedacetus hyaeni is a protocetid cetacean from the middle Eocene (late Lutetian, 42 mya). It is the only species in the genus Dhedacetus.^[1] The type specimen was recovered from the Indian Harudi Formation near the town of Dhedadi, Kutch.^[2]

Dhedacetus Temporal range: Middle Eocene, 48.6–40.4 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Infraorder:	Cetacea
Family:	†Protocetidae
Genus:	†Dhedacetus Bajpai and Thewissen, 2014
Species:	†D. hyaeni
Binomial name
†Dhedacetus hyaeni Bajpai and Thewissen, 2014

Description

Only one skull and some vertebra are known.^[3] D. hyaeni is the smallest protocetid from Kutch. Its premolars and molars are about the same size as in other protocetids such as Babiacetus, Rodhocetus and Maiacetus. It has a long, broad snout and high ocular orbits.^[4][5]

The genus name comes from the town close by and the species name comes from a local hyena.^[1]