Tutcetus
| Tutcetus | |
|---|---|
| Holotype specimen block | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Suborder: | Whippomorpha |
| Infraorder: | Cetacea |
| Family: | †Basilosauridae |
| Genus: | †Tutcetus Antar et al., 2023 |
| Type species | |
| †Tutcetus rayanensis Antar et al., 2023 | |
Tutcetus is an extinct genus of diminutive basilosaurid cetacean from the Bartonian of Egypt. Tutcetus, named after the child pharaoh Tutankhamun, is both one of the oldest known basilosaurids from Africa and the smallest member of the family. It is suggested that the type specimen, a subadult close to maturity, only measured approximately 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) long. The genus is monotypic, only including the species T. rayanensis.