Willungacetus fossil map
Where fossils of Willungacetus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 30 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 30 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 | 33.9–27.3 million years ago (Rupelian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Aetiocetidae |
| Named by | Pledge 2005 |
| Fossil records | 2 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Australia |
| Rock formations | Port Willunga |
About Willungacetus
Willungacetus is an extinct genus of primitive baleen whale of the family Aetiocetidae known from the Oligocene of Australia (at Port Willunga, 35.3°S 138.5°E / -35.3; 138.5, paleocoordinates 52.9°S 133.7°E / -52.9; 133.7). It is the oldest-known whale from Australia, and the only aetiocetid whale currently known from the Southern Hemisphere.
Neville S. Pledge first visited the type locality in 1983 and collected two boulders. These two rocks, however, were forgotten until 2001 when a partial vertebra were discovered within. The site was subsequently revisited and another specimen, a partial cranium, was discovered. Pledge referred a radius, collected from the same cliff in 1994, to his newly named species.
Pledge provisionally assigned Willungacetus to Aetiocetidae, but this assignment still needs to be confirmed.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Willungacetus (revision 1355290373), 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: Q8022520.
