Chrysocetus

Chrysocetus is a genus of extinct archaeocete ceteceans belonging to the Basilosauridae that is known from the Late Eocene of the eastern United States and western Africa. Across its range two species are known, the American Chrysocetus healyorum and the African Chrysocetus fouadassii, named in 2001 and 2015 respectively. Chrysocetus was a comparably small basilosaurid, larger than Saghacetus and Tutcetus but smaller than most other members of this group. In addition to being noted for its well-preserved hip bones, Chrysocetus is unique amongst basilosaurids for possibly having only had a single set of teeth. Though the fusion of the skeleton indicate that the holotype was a juvenile or subadult, the teeth represent the adult condition, having led to the hypothesis that unlike other basilosaurids and like modern whales, Chrysocetus did not replace its teeth but rather kept a single set throughout its life.