Herpetocetus fossil map
Where fossils of Herpetocetus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 5 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 5 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 23.04–0.0117 million years ago (Aquitanian to Late Pleistocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Cetotheriidae |
| Named by | Van Beneden 1872 |
| Fossil records | 104 occurrences at 43 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Japan, Belgium, United Kingdom, Mexico, Netherlands, Chile |
| Rock formations | San Diego, Purisima, Tatsunokuchi, txn:66751, Kattendijk, Yorktown |
About Herpetocetus
Herpetocetus is a genus of cetotheriid mysticete in the subfamily Herpetocetinae. Considerably smaller than modern baleen whales, Herpetocetus measured only 3 to 4 meters in length. Additionally, due to the structure of its jaw, it was unable to open its mouth as wide as modern baleen whales, making it incapable of lunge feeding.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Herpetocetus (revision 1379764945), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q3785315.
