Scientific name: Unidentified Basilosaurid - (primitive whale ancestor) - Potencial cf Pappocetus lugardi - rooted Pre-Molar Tooth Location: Dakhla, Western Sahara, South Morocco Geological Formation: Samlat - Aridal Formation Age: Late Eocene (~40 Million Years) Size: 10,9 cm REF.: #J623 DESCRIPTION: Nicely preserved pre-molar tooth from cf Pappocetus lugardi, a type of protocetid cetacean (early whale ancestor). These outstanding teeth come from the Middle Eocene-age Aridal and Samlat Formations, located in the Western Sahara near Gueran, Morocco. They're commonly found associated with teeth of the shark Otodus sokolovi (Carcharocles auriculatus), a megalodon ancestor. There are few restorations through the crown, where a fracture have been glued and filled. However, the root and almost all the tooth its fully natural. The specimen has been stabilized with Paraloid B72 to ensure its long term proper preservation. Its the first premolar of dentary. Pappocetus lugardi is an extinct species of protocetid whale that lived during the Eocene epoch (approximately 40–44 million years ago) in Africa. As a transitional form between land and sea, this amphibious, 20–25 foot long carnivore is considered an ancestor of Basilosaurus and represents a crucial stage in whale evolution. Key Facts About Pappocetus lugardi: Discovery: First described by C.W. Andrews in 1920 based on fossils from the Ameki Formation in Nigeria. Additional specimens have been found in the Sahara Desert in Morocco. Evolutionary Position: Pappocetus belongs to the family Protocetidae, which are early, amphibious whales that could likely move on land using their large limbs, while also being capable swimmers. Physical Characteristics: Size: Estimated to be around 20-25 feet in length. Diet/Habits: A large, amphibious, aquatic carnivore with robust teeth, likely relying on vision and smell for hunting. Appearance: More whale-like than its predecessors, with a streamlined body, yet retaining functional, though reduced, hind limbs. Fossil Record: Known from jaw fragments, teeth, and skull material. Relation to Modern Whales: While it was a transitional form, it is unlikely to have possessed the modern echolocation abilities found in later cetaceans. All of our fossils come with a Certificate of Authenticity. Every week, the issued Certificates of Authenticity are updated in our database verification system on our website. If you find that your certificate has not yet been updated, please contact us and we will update it immediately. Display box NOT included.