Origin of whales from early artiodactyls: Hands and feet of eocene Protocetidae from Pakistan

Partial skeletons of two new fossil whales, Artiocetus clavis and Rodhocetu s balochistanensis, are among the oldest known protocetid archaeocetes. The se came from early Lutetian age (47 million years ago) strata in eastern Ba lochistan Province, Pakistan. Both have an astragalus and cuboid in the ank le with characteristics diagnostic of artiodactyls; R. balochistanensis has virtually complete fore- and hind limbs. The new skeletons are important i n augmenting the diversity of early Protocetidae, clarifying that Cetacea e volved from early Artiodactyla rather than Mesonychia and showing how early protocetids swam.