Ichthyolestes fossil map
Where fossils of Ichthyolestes have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 45 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 45 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 | 48.07–41.03 million years ago (Lutetian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Pakicetidae |
| Named by | Dehm and Oettingen-Spielberg 1958 |
| Fossil records | 8 occurrences at 3 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Pakistan |
| Rock formations | Kuldana |
About Ichthyolestes
Ichthyolestes (meaning "fish robber" from Ancient Greek ἰχθύς (ikhthús), meaning "fish", and λῃστής (lēistḗs), meaning "robber") is an extinct genus of pakicetid cetacean endemic to the northern Indian subcontinent during the Lutetian age of the Eocene. It is monotypic, with I. pinfoldi as the only species.
Similar to other pakicetids, which are considered the earliest and least specialized of the archaic cetaceans, Ichthyolestes represents an early quadrupedal phase in the land-to-sea transition in cetaceans.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Ichthyolestes (revision 1378340314), 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: Q1366647.
