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. 2022 Oct 26;17(10):e0276110. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276110

Fig 2. Allocation of lumbar vertebrae to the Egyptian basilosaurid Eocetus schweinfurthi.

Fig 2

Two subfamilies, Pachycetinae and Basilosaurinae (circles), have long lumbar centra compared to cranial length; one subfamily, Dorudontinae (squares), has short lumbar centra. Lumbar centrum length in St. 2 (SMNS 10934) matches that expected for the skull length of E. schweinfurthi (SMNS 10986) from the same Bartonian-age strata. The centrum length of St. 3 (10934b) from these strata is shorter than expected. The lumbar centrum of St. 3 has the morphology of a pachycetine, and matches lumbars of Antaecetus aithai in size. The cranium of Pachycetus wardii is not known but it was probably intermediate in length between those of A. aithai and E. schweinfurthi. Cranial and/or lumbar measurements: Antaecetus aithai, this study; Basilosaurus cetoides, Kellogg [1]; Basilosaurus isis, Gingerich et al. (in preparation); Dorudon atrox, Uhen [8]; Eocetus schweinfurthi, Fraas [13] and Stromer [35, 59]; Pachycetus wardii, Uhen [26]; Pontogeneus peruvianus, Martínez-Cáceres et al. [9]; Saghacetus, Gingerich (in preparation); and Zygorhiza kochii, Kellogg [1].