Natchitochia fossil map
Where fossils of Natchitochia 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 | 41.03–37.71 million years ago (Bartonian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Protocetidae |
| Named by | Uhen 1998 |
| Fossil records | 4 occurrences at 2 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States |
| Rock formations | Cook Mountain |
About Natchitochia
Natchitochia is an extinct protocetid early whale known from the Middle Eocene (Bartonian, 40.4 to 37.2 million years ago) Cook Mountain Formation in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana (31.7°N 93.1°W / 31.7; -93.1, paleocoordinates 32.6°N 84.5°W / 32.6; -84.5).
Natchitochia is known from three incomplete ribs and thirteen vertebrae of which four are thoracics, five lumbars, one sacral, two caudals, and one of indeterminable position. Natchitochia is significantly larger than most other early protocetids, except Eocetus and Pappocetus. The vertebrae of Natchitochia are smaller than those of Eocetus and lack (1) elongated lumbar centra and (2) the ventral keel seen on the vertebrae of Pappocetus. The ribs are smaller than those of Pappocetus.
The fragmentary specimen was collected in 1943 during a ground water survey and then sent to the United States National Museum where Remington Kellogg identified it as a new genus of archaeocete but never formally described it. Uhen 1998 finally described and named the genus and the species; the genus for the type locality and the species honors discoverer Paul H. Jones.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Natchitochia (revision 1255784132), 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: Q14691822.
