Cetacea

Cetaceans are marine mammals belonging to the infraorder Cetacea, a secondarily aquatic clade under the order Artiodactyla that include whales, dolphins, porpoises and extinct groups such as Basilosaurus. Most cetaceans live in marine environments, particularly the pelagic zone, but some reside solely in brackish or fresh water. Having a cosmopolitan distribution, they can be found in some rivers and all of Earth's oceans. Many species migrate seasonally over vast ranges for food advantages.

Cetacea

Gabriel Barathieu · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikipedia/Commons. May be a photograph of a specimen, or an artist’s reconstruction — an interpretation of a skeleton, since colour and soft tissue are almost never preserved.

On record

Recorded, not inferred
Also called
whalePBDB
Sits inside
WhippomorphaPBDB
Diet
carnivorePBDB
Life habit
aquatic, depth=surfacePBDB
Motility
actively mobilePBDB
Environment
marinePBDB

Time the record covers

At least 48 million years on record.

The record covers at least 48.07 Mya to 11.7 ka. No occurrence read is dated outside 66 Mya to 0 Mya.

Late Cretaceous — about 0 of 6016 occurrencesPaleocene — about 0 of 6016 occurrencesPaleoceneEocene — about 506 of 6016 occurrencesEoceneOligocene — about 378 of 6016 occurrencesOligoceneMiocene — about 2454 of 6016 occurrencesMiocenePliocene — about 874 of 6016 occurrencesPleistocene — about 520 of 6016 occurrences67–65 Mya — about 0.0 occurrences65–63 Mya — about 0.1 occurrences63–61 Mya — about 0.1 occurrences61–58 Mya — about 0.1 occurrences58–56 Mya — about 0.1 occurrences56–54 Mya — about 3 occurrences54–52 Mya — about 3 occurrences52–49 Mya — about 3 occurrences49–47 Mya — about 12 occurrences47–45 Mya — about 24 occurrences45–43 Mya — about 24 occurrences43–40 Mya — about 47 occurrences40–38 Mya — about 101 occurrences38–36 Mya — about 149 occurrences36–34 Mya — about 144 occurrences34–31 Mya — about 20 occurrences31–29 Mya — about 20 occurrences29–27 Mya — about 46 occurrences27–25 Mya — about 173 occurrences25–22 Mya — about 146 occurrences22–20 Mya — about 121 occurrences20–18 Mya — about 245 occurrences18–16 Mya — about 273 occurrences16–13 Mya — about 410 occurrences13–11 Mya — about 517 occurrences11–9.0 Mya — about 336 occurrences9.0–6.7 Mya — about 328 occurrences6.7–4.5 Mya — about 466 occurrences4.5–2.2 Mya — about 653 occurrences2.2–0 Mya — about 1751 occurrences48.07 Mya11.7 ka67 Mya0 Mya

6,016 occurrences of Cetacea on record, most of them in the Miocene. The Paleobiology Database records this as a living group. Bar height is expected occurrences, not a count: each fossil is spread across the span it is dated to, so a tall narrow bar means tight dating and a low wide one means loose.

When

6,016 occurrences

These are dates about fossils, not the animal: the record can only begin after it arose and end before it died out, so either end may reach further. Shares are expected occurrences: a fossil dated to a span is counted partly in each period it straddles. More on what this infers.

Found in

589 formations

Calvert — 38.60°N, 77.16°WCalvert — 39.20°N, 75.60°WCalvert — 38.67°N, 76.53°WCalvert — 38.58°N, 76.52°WCalvert — 38.50°N, 76.51°WCalvert — 38.17°N, 76.85°WCalvert — 38.54°N, 76.73°WCalvert — 38.74°N, 76.56°WCalvert — 38.22°N, 76.97°WCalvert — 37.77°N, 77.28°WCalvert — 37.54°N, 77.43°WCalvert — 37.93°N, 77.51°WCalvert — 38.20°N, 76.94°WCalvert — 38.29°N, 77.03°WCalvert — 38.29°N, 77.15°WCalvert — 38.02°N, 77.06°WCalvert — 38.46°N, 77.01°WCalvert — 38.40°N, 76.50°WCalvert — 37.77°N, 77.37°WCalvert — 37.66°N, 77.11°WCalvert — 37.22°N, 76.96°WCalvert — 38.07°N, 76.92°WCalvert — 38.38°N, 76.99°WCalvert — 38.75°N, 76.97°WCalvert — 38.61°N, 76.67°WCalvert — 37.78°N, 77.52°WCalvert — 38.44°N, 76.44°WCalvert — 38.42°N, 76.62°WCalvert — 38.42°N, 76.90°WCalvert — 38.77°N, 76.78°WPisco — 15.58°S, 74.72°WPisco — 15.50°S, 74.80°WPisco — 15.44°S, 74.87°WPisco — 14.56°S, 75.67°WPisco — 15.55°S, 74.80°WPisco — 14.35°S, 75.72°WPisco — 14.36°S, 75.71°WPisco — 14.45°S, 75.69°WPisco — 14.33°S, 75.90°WPisco — 14.31°S, 75.81°WPisco — 14.35°S, 75.88°WPisco — 14.79°S, 75.51°WPisco — 14.70°S, 75.32°WPisco — 15.06°S, 74.08°WPisco — 14.43°S, 75.77°WPisco — 15.55°S, 74.72°WPisco — 15.50°S, 74.88°WYorktown — 36.33°N, 77.58°WYorktown — 35.93°N, 77.57°WYorktown — 36.45°N, 77.09°WYorktown — 35.36°N, 76.82°WYorktown — 37.20°N, 76.91°WYorktown — 37.04°N, 76.36°WYorktown — 37.17°N, 76.77°WYorktown — 35.60°N, 77.37°WYorktown — 37.29°N, 77.30°WYorktown — 37.08°N, 76.36°WYorktown — 37.27°N, 76.71°WYorktown — 35.87°N, 77.09°WYorktown — 35.90°N, 77.82°WYorktown — 36.45°N, 77.08°WMonterey — 33.56°N, 117.71°WMonterey — 34.40°N, 119.72°WMonterey — 34.61°N, 120.44°WMonterey — 36.60°N, 121.89°WMonterey — 33.79°N, 118.35°WMonterey — 35.95°N, 120.41°WMonterey — 37.11°N, 122.33°WMonterey — 33.60°N, 117.80°WMonterey — 33.78°N, 118.39°WMonterey — 33.71°N, 118.31°WMonterey — 34.95°N, 120.14°WMonterey — 33.60°N, 117.33°WPietra Leccese — 40.33°N, 18.19°EPietra Leccese — 40.35°N, 18.17°EPietra Leccese — 40.16°N, 18.29°EPietra Leccese — 40.14°N, 18.07°EPietra Leccese — 39.89°N, 18.33°EPietra Leccese — 40.15°N, 18.50°EBerchem — 51.17°N, 4.46°EBerchem — 51.22°N, 4.42°EBerchem — 51.15°N, 4.63°EBerchem — 51.29°N, 4.27°ERed Crag — 51.96°N, 1.35°ERed Crag — 51.87°N, 1.29°ERed Crag — 52.09°N, 1.31°ERed Crag — 51.97°N, 1.25°ERed Crag — 52.06°N, 1.23°EYazoo — 31.93°N, 88.46°WYazoo — 31.66°N, 92.90°WYazoo — 31.79°N, 88.50°WYazoo — 32.23°N, 89.37°WYazoo — 32.47°N, 90.29°WYazoo — 32.47°N, 90.08°WYazoo — 32.18°N, 89.17°WYazoo — 32.07°N, 88.96°WYazoo — 32.14°N, 89.25°WYazoo — 31.99°N, 88.48°WYazoo — 32.39°N, 89.48°WYazoo — 32.27°N, 89.39°WYazoo — 31.71°N, 87.96°WYazoo — 31.59°N, 87.70°WYazoo — 32.32°N, 90.16°WYazoo — 31.82°N, 92.33°WYazoo — 31.87°N, 88.57°WYazoo — 31.93°N, 91.94°WYazoo — 31.63°N, 88.31°WYazoo — 31.69°N, 88.30°WYazoo — 31.73°N, 87.89°WYazoo — 31.77°N, 88.44°WYazoo — 31.65°N, 87.71°WYazoo — 31.63°N, 88.23°WYazoo — 31.66°N, 88.22°WYazoo — 31.88°N, 88.32°WYazoo — 31.68°N, 88.13°WYazoo — 31.57°N, 88.04°WYazoo — 32.28°N, 89.49°WYazoo — 31.71°N, 88.36°WYazoo — 32.14°N, 89.05°WDiest — 51.19°N, 4.46°EDiest — 51.21°N, 4.43°EDiest — 51.18°N, 4.83°EPeace River — 27.75°N, 81.98°WPeace River — 27.89°N, 81.97°WPeace River — 27.83°N, 81.84°WPeace River — 27.84°N, 81.86°WPeace River — 27.90°N, 81.80°WPeace River — 27.68°N, 81.95°WGroote Heide — 52.04°N, 6.67°EGroote Heide — 52.10°N, 6.65°EEl Cien — 24.38°N, 110.75°WEl Cien — 24.39°N, 111.09°WEl Cien — 24.34°N, 110.99°WEl Cien — 24.36°N, 111.02°WEl Cien — 23.44°N, 109.54°WEl Cien — 25.35°N, 110.98°WEl Cien — 25.19°N, 110.91°WEl Cien — 24.44°N, 110.70°WEl Cien — 24.47°N, 110.70°WChilcatay — 14.77°S, 75.39°WChilcatay — 14.59°S, 75.64°WChilcatay — 14.65°S, 75.65°WChilcatay — 14.38°S, 75.90°WChilcatay — 14.67°S, 75.67°WSan Diego — 32.74°N, 117.17°WSan Diego — 32.63°N, 117.10°WSan Diego — 32.90°N, 117.10°WSan Diego — 32.76°N, 117.14°WSan Diego — 32.64°N, 117.01°WSan Diego — 32.68°N, 117.10°WPurisima — 36.92°N, 121.85°WPurisima — 37.33°N, 122.27°WPurisima — 36.95°N, 122.04°WPurisima — 38.05°N, 122.94°WPurisima — 38.03°N, 122.96°WPurisima — 38.06°N, 122.97°WPurisima — 37.28°N, 122.41°WPurisima — 36.97°N, 121.95°WKokoamu Greensand — 44.92°S, 170.62°EKokoamu Greensand — 44.67°S, 170.36°EKokoamu Greensand — 44.87°S, 170.72°EKokoamu Greensand — 44.68°S, 170.49°EKokoamu Greensand — 44.78°S, 170.95°EKokoamu Greensand — 44.80°S, 170.97°EKokoamu Greensand — 44.64°S, 170.65°EKokoamu Greensand — 44.66°S, 170.65°EKokoamu Greensand — 43.63°S, 170.85°EKokoamu Greensand — 43.08°S, 170.63°EKokoamu Greensand — 44.68°S, 170.77°EKokoamu Greensand — 44.96°S, 170.66°EKokoamu Greensand — 43.39°S, 171.27°EGaiman — 42.78°S, 65.04°WGaiman — 43.30°S, 65.42°WGaiman — 43.33°S, 65.32°WGaiman — 43.44°S, 65.10°WGaiman — 45.67°S, 67.44°WGaiman — 43.40°S, 65.05°WGaiman — 43.65°S, 65.33°WGaiman — 42.33°S, 65.40°WGaiman — 43.54°S, 65.21°WGaiman — 43.05°S, 71.95°WBahía Inglesa — 27.08°S, 70.84°WBahía Inglesa — 27.14°S, 70.88°WBahía Inglesa — 27.00°S, 70.79°WBahía Inglesa — 27.16°S, 70.89°WChandler Bridge — 32.88°N, 80.16°WChandler Bridge — 32.98°N, 80.18°WChandler Bridge — 32.90°N, 80.07°WChandler Bridge — 33.03°N, 80.27°WChandler Bridge — 32.96°N, 80.15°WChandler Bridge — 32.89°N, 80.39°WChandler Bridge — 32.81°N, 80.11°WChandler Bridge — 32.85°N, 79.97°WJan Juc — 38.20°S, 144.27°EJan Juc — 38.37°S, 144.28°EJan Juc — 38.33°S, 144.30°EJan Juc — 35.97°S, 145.00°EVarswater — 32.98°S, 18.15°EVarswater — 33.67°S, 18.43°EVarswater — 33.00°S, 18.00°EOtekaike Limestone — 44.86°S, 170.62°EOtekaike Limestone — 44.80°S, 170.53°EOtekaike Limestone — 44.87°S, 170.71°EOtekaike Limestone — 44.96°S, 170.65°EOtekaike Limestone — 42.69°S, 173.26°EOtekaike Limestone — 44.51°S, 170.37°EOtekaike Limestone — 44.66°S, 170.65°EOtekaike Limestone — 44.97°S, 170.98°EOtekaike Limestone — 44.68°S, 170.49°EOtekaike Limestone — 44.70°S, 170.37°EBirket Qarun — 29.28°N, 30.04°EBirket Qarun — 29.47°N, 30.42°EBirket Qarun — 29.31°N, 30.15°EBirket Qarun — 29.48°N, 30.63°EBirket Qarun — 29.53°N, 30.72°EBirket Qarun — 29.29°N, 30.06°EHarudi — 23.57°N, 68.72°EHarudi — 23.51°N, 68.69°EHarudi — 23.65°N, 68.68°EHarudi — 23.51°N, 68.78°EHarudi — 23.83°N, 68.77°EHarudi — 23.76°N, 68.75°EHarudi — 23.65°N, 68.75°E

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The named rock units Cetacea has been recovered from, largest first. Drawn where the rock is now, not where it formed. 565 further formations hold fewer occurrences each and are not listed. 2,757 occurrences have no formation on record, which is common for older literature.

Cetacea and its relatives

Miocene

Where Cetacea and its relatives were recorded in the Miocene.

Found in the same rock

1,951 taxa

The Paleobiology Database records at least 1,047 sites for Cetacea, and this reads 240 of them. The number is how many of those sites it was catalogued from too. The 24 sharing the most are listed.

This is not a list of everything alive at the time. It is only what has come out of the same ground as this animal and been written down.

Entered from

1,737 references

Each of the 6,016 occurrences read was entered from one of these publications, ordered by how many each accounts for. This is not a search for papers mentioning the name. 1,725 further references are not listed. Entries link to doi.org where the Paleobiology Database holds an identifier, and to its own record where it does not. Relayed as the Paleobiology Database holds them, not checked against what they resolve to.

Media and terms

Media content3

Picture of Cetacea

Credit
Gabriel Barathieu
Licence
CC BY-SA 2.0
Commercial use
the licence allows it

CT scan

Licence
not stated by the source
Commercial use
cannot be read from the licence given — check the record
Specimen
Cetacea indet. · MAB:MAB:15993

3D model

Source
Sketchfab
Licence
CC Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs
Commercial use
the licence does not allow it

Smithsonian Open Access was not reached for this taxon, so this list is what the others held rather than everything there is.

The description on this site

Licence
CC BY-SA 4.0

This is what the site found, which is not the same as what exists.

Keep going

What may have been alongside itWhippomorpha through timeFormations of the MioceneThe world it lived on

Occurrence data from the Paleobiology Database, CC BY 4.0. (Brisson 1762)