Pakicetus fossil map
Where fossils of Pakicetus 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 | 56–41.03 million years ago (Ypresian to Lutetian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Pakicetidae |
| Named by | Gingerich and Russell 1981 |
| Fossil records | 8 occurrences at 6 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Pakistan, India |
| Rock formations | Kuldana, Subathu |
About Pakicetus
Pakicetus (meaning 'whale from Pakistan') is an extinct genus of semi-aquatic cetacean of the family Pakicetidae, which was endemic to South Asia during the Ypresian (early Eocene) period, about 48.5 million years ago. It was a wolf-like mammal, about 1–2 m (3 ft 3 in – 6 ft 7 in) long, and lived in and around water where it ate fish and other animals. The name Pakicetus comes from the fact that the first fossils of this extinct amphibious whale were discovered in Pakistan. The vast majority of paleontologists regard it as the most basal whale, representing a transitional stage between land mammals and whales. It belongs to the even-toed ungulates with the closest living non-cetacean relative being the hippopotamus.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Pakicetus (revision 1378032824), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 22 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q310503.
