A protocetid cetacean from the Eocene of South Carolina

Abstract

Kellogg (1936, p. 242) described “an imperfectly preserved dorsal vertebra” from Texas, which he assigned to the primitive cetacean genus Protocetus. McLeod and Barnes (1990), however, were the first to report unequivocal protocetid remains from the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Since then, Hulbert and Petkewich (1991) and Hulbert (1993) have noted a well-preserved skeleton of a protocetid cetacean from middle Eocene deposits in Georgia. The purpose of this note is to report the recent discovery of additional protocetid remains from the coastal plain of South Carolina and to discuss their stratigraphic and biostratigraphic context.