Description
Protocetus atavus, an early whale from the middle Eocene of Egypt, pencil drawing, digital coloring
Date 6 January 2008
Source Own work
Author Nobu Tamura
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Protocetus_BW.jpg

Protocetus atavus ("first whale") is an extinct species of primitive cetacean from Egypt. It lived during the middle Eocene period 45 million years ago. The first discovered protocetid, Protocetus atavus was described by Fraas 1904 based on a cranium and a number of associated vertebrae and ribs found in middle Lutetian Tethyan marine limestone from Gebel Mokattam near Cairo, Egypt. Order: Artiodactyla, Infraorder: Cetacea, Family: Protocetidae, Subfamily: Protocetinae.