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New middle Eocene whales from the Pisco Basin of Peru

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2015

Mark D. Uhen ,
Nicholas D. Pyenson ,
Thomas J. Devries ,
Mario Urbina  and
Paul R. Renne
Mark D. Uhen
Affiliation:
1Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA,
Nicholas D. Pyenson
Affiliation:
2Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013, USA, 3Department of Paleontology, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Thomas J. Devries
Affiliation:
3Department of Paleontology, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Mario Urbina
Affiliation:
4Departamento de Paleontología de Vertebrados, Museo de Historia Natural de San Marcos, Avenida Arenales 1256, Lima 14, Peru
Paul R. Renne
Affiliation:
5Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-4767, USA 6Berkeley Geochronology Center, 2455 Ridge Road, Berkeley, CA 94709, USA
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Abstract

Three new specimens of middle Eocene cetaceans are reported from the Pisco Basin of southern Peru. All three specimens originate from the Paracas Formation and their minimum age is constrained to about 37 Ma using 40Ar/39Ar dating of ash collected ~100 m up section from the source localities. Two new genera of archaeocete cetaceans are described along with additional material of another distinctive protocetid, which is not named pending the discovery of more complete material. Phylogenetic analysis resolves the two new genera within Basilosauridae, while the unnamed protocetid is closely related to Eocetus. The discovery of crownward protocetids in South America demonstrates that early cetaceans may have dispersed into both hemispheres prior to evolving a fully aquatic lifestyle. Geochronologic constraints on the age of new Peruvian archaeocetes establish them as the oldest whales from South America and among the oldest known from the Southern Hemisphere, which highlights the need for better sampling of marginal marine rocks from this part of the world.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Paleontology , Volume 85 , Issue 5 , September 2011 , pp. 955 - 969
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

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