Transitional fossils

Name: Kutchicetus (Greek for "Kachchh whale"); pronounced KOO-chee-SEE-tuss Habitat: Shores of central Asia Historical Epoch: Middle Eocene (46-43 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 8 feet long and a few hundred pounds Diet: Fish and squids Distinguishing Characteristics: Small size; unusually long tail About Kutchicetus:

Name: Ambulocetus (Greek for "walking whale"); pronounced AM-byoo-low-SEE-tuss Habitat: Shores of central Asia Historical Epoch: Early Eocene (50 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 10 feet long and 500 pounds Diet: Fish and crustaceans Distinguishing Characteristics: Webbed feet; narrow snout About Ambulocetus: Ambulocetus dates from the era when the ancestors of modern whales were just dipping their toes into the water: this long, slender, otter-like mammal was built for an amphibious lifestyle, with webbed, padded feet and a narrow, crocodile-like snout. Oddly, an analysis of Ambulocetus' teeth shows that this prehistoric whale thrived in both fresh and salt water, a characteristic shared only with a single modern-day crocodile hailing from Australia.