Indocetus fossil map
Where fossils of Indocetus 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 | 48.07–37.71 million years ago (Lutetian to Bartonian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Protocetidae |
| Named by | Sahni and Mishra 1975 |
| Fossil records | 6 occurrences at 3 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | India, Pakistan |
| Rock formations | Harudi, Domanda |
About Indocetus
Indocetus is a protocetid early whale known from the late early Eocene (Lutetian, 48.6 to 40.4 million years ago) Harudi Formation (23.5°N 68.7°E / 23.5; 68.7, paleocoordinates 5.9°N 61.7°E / 5.9; 61.7) in Kutch, India.
The holotype of Sahni & Mishra 1975 is a partial skull in two pieces with the frontal shield and the right occiput and auditory bulla preserved.
Gingerich et al. 1993 described postcranial remains from the Sulaiman Range, Punjab, Pakistan, and attributed them to Indocetus. Gingerich, Arif & Clyde 1995, however, withdrew this assignment and instead attributed this postcranial material to Remingtonocetus because of similarities to the then newly discovered remingtonocetid Dalanistes, including a longer neck and fused sacral vertebral elements.
This leaves Indocetus without postcranial remains, but undescribed material (as of 1998) from Kutch most likely include some that can be attributed to Indocetus. Furthermore, Rodhocetus, also from Sulaiman, is very similar to Indocetus and it is possible that these genera are synonyms.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Indocetus (revision 1362776195), 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: Q11712114.
