Kingdom Metazoa
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Subclass Theria
Order Cetacea
- Chonecetus
Diet:
- Fish
Habitat:
- Marine
Material:
- Partial Skull
The Cetacea (Whales and Dolphins) are a diverse assemblage of mammals that had, sometime during the Eocene stage of the Paleocene Period, evolved from land-living members of the Mesonychidae and have since taken to an exclusive life in the seas. They are represented by a single extinct group (the Archaeoceti - Ancient Whales), from which the two surviving groups (the Odontoceti - Toothed Whales, and Mysticeti - Baleen Whales) have subsequently developed. Chonecetus may, in fact, belong to the Ancient Whales, although other Neocene members are rare in the extreme. The archaeocetes appeared superficially modern: an elongate, streamlined body supporting a pair of paddle-shaped forelimbs, and, judging from the similarities of the tail vertebare with modern whales, may have sported a horizontal tail fluke strengthened by fibrous cartilage. However, fairly large elements of the hind limbs survived, at least in some species, as well as a primitive fleshy dorsal fin.
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