Name:
Protocetus (Greek for "first whale"); pronounced PRO-toe-SEE-tuss
Habitat:
Shores of Africa and Asia
Historical Epoch:
Middle Eocene (42-38 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 8 feet long and a few hundred pounds
Diet:
Fish and squids
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Small size; seal-like body
About Protocetus:
Despite its name, Protocetus wasn't technically the "first whale;" as far as we know, that honor belongs to the four-legged, land-bound Pakicetus, which lived a few million years earlier. Whereas the dog-like Pakicetus ventured only occasionally into the water, Protocetus was much better adapted to an aquatic lifestyle, with a lithe, seal-like body and powerful front legs (already well on their way to becoming flippers). Also, the nostrils of this prehistoric whale were located midway up its forehead, foreshadowing the blowholes of its modern descendants, and its ears were better adapted to hearing underwater.
