Qaisracetus
| Qaisracetus | |
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| Drawing of basic outline of Qaisracetus. | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Infraorder: | Cetacea |
| Family: | †Protocetidae |
| Subfamily: | † Protocetinae
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| Genus: | †Qaisracetus Gingerich et al. 2001 |
| Species | |
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Qaisracetus is an extinct
Etymology
The genus is named after the Qaisrani Baloch tribe which assisted Gingerich and his team during their field work.[3] "Qaisra" is also etymologically close to the royal title used in Persian and many Indo-European languages (e.g. Kaiser, Czar, Caesar).[3] The species is named for Muhammad Arif, former paleontologist at the Geological Survey of Pakistan who contributed significantly to archaeocete paleontology in Pakistan.[4]
Description
Qaisracetus is known from a dozen specimens, all found in or near the type locality. Among them are several well-preserved elements, including a well-preserved skull, partial skulls and braincases, several vertebrae including an almost complete sacrum, a left innominate, ribs, and partial limb elements.[5]
Qaisracetus is smaller than Pappocetus and Babiacetus but larger than Indocetus.[6] Qaisracetus arifi is almost as complete as Rodhocetus kasranii, the most complete articulated skeleton of a protocetid, and they were similar in size: the latter had an estimated body weight of 620 kg (1,370 lb), compared to 590 kg (1,300 lb) for the former.[7]
Qaisracetus has a generalized protocetid skull with the external
The four sacral vertebrae are only partially fused: the first two are solidly fused, the third is locked in place by rib-like processes (a
Notes and references
- ^ Qaisracetus in the Paleobiology Database. Retrieved July 2013.
- ^ Ander Dabh Shumali (Eocene of Pakistan) in the Paleobiology Database. Retrieved July 2013.
- ^ a b Gingerich et al. 2001, Etymology, p. 296
- ^ Gingerich et al. 2001, Etymology, p. 298
- ^ Gingerich et al. 2001, Hypodigm, p. 297
- ^ a b Gingerich et al. 2001, Diagnosis, p. 296
- ^ a b Gingerich et al. 2001, Discussion, pp. 307–8
- ^ Gingerich et al. 2001, Diagnosis, p. 296, 303, Fig. 23
Bibliography
- Gingerich, Philip D; Haq, U; Khan, H; Zalmout, S (2001). "Eocene stratigraphy and archaeocete whales (Mammalia, Cetacea) of Drug Lahar in the eastern Sulaiman range, Balochistan (Pakistan)". Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan. 30 (11): 269–319. OCLC 50061585.