Name:
Natchitochia
(named after the city of Natchitoches).
Phonetic: Nat-che-to-che-ah.
Named By: M. D. Uhen - 1998.
Classification: Chordata, Mammalia, Cetacea,
Archaeoceti, Protocetidae.
Species: N. jonesi (type).
Diet: Carnivore/Piscivore.
Size: Unknown due to lack of remains.
Known locations: USA, Louisiana - Cook
Mountain Formation.
Time period: Bartonian of the Eocene.
Fossil representation: Partial ribs and vertebrae.
Natchitochia is a genus of protocetid whale that lived in waters around North America during the mid-Eocene. Though only known from a few vertebrae and partial ribs, it is known that Natchitochia would have been similar to genera such as Eocetus, Pappocetus and Protocetus. Comparison to the vertebrae of Eocetus and the ribs of Pappocetus indicate that the holotype individual of Natchitochia would have been smaller than these genera
Further reading
- New protocetid (Mammalia, Cetacea) from the late middle
Eocene Cook Mountain Formation of Louisiana. - Journal of
Vertebrate Paleontology 18(3):664-668. - M. D. Uhen -
1998.