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''Georgiacetus'' is an extinct genus of ancient whale known from the Eocene period of the United States. Fossils are known from Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi and protocetid fossils from the right time frame, but not yet confirmed as ''Georgiacetus'', have been found in Texas () and South Carolina (). created a new clade, Pelagiceti, for the common ancestor of Basilosauridae and all of its descendants, including Neoceti, the living cetaceans. He placed ''Georgiacetus'' near the base of this clade together with ''Eocetus'' and perhaps ''Babiacetus'' because of the assumed presence of a fluke and very compressed posterior caudal vertebrae in these genera. ''Georgiacetus'' is an extinct protocetid (early whale) which lived about and hunted the rich, Suwannee Current powered coastal sea which once covered the Southeastern United States. This was during the earliest Bartonian Stage of the Eocene Epoch (). Current research puts ''Georgiacetus'' as the link between the protocetids and modern whales, making the Georgia whale a scientifically important ancestor to all modern whales. An articulated and completed cast of the find is currently on display at the Georgia Southern University Museum in Statesboro, Georgia; Georgia Southern University also houses the actual 1983 ''Georgiacetus'' fossils and has the animal’s fossilized hip bones on display. ==Discovery== ''Georgiacetus'' was discovered in 1983 during the construction of the nuclear power plant Plant Vogtle in Burke County, Georgia (in the Lutetian Blue Bluff Formation, , paleocoordinates ).〔. Retrieved March 2013.〕 The find consisted of three individuals all identified as belonging to the same species; two of the individuals were represented by isolated bones recovered separately which included a few vertebrae, ribs and tooth crowns. The main find was discovered during the cutting of a drainage channel at a depth of about below the surface. It was a 75%-80% complete individual consisting of more than 60 bones and teeth; including a well preserved skull and mandible. Fortunately, Georgia Power halted construction activities in the area and assisted in the recovery effort. The main mass was collected from an area about square, they were not articulated. There was evidence of light scavenging with scratches on one rib but only ten shark’s teeth were recovered with the find. There was no duplication of fossilized bones in the main mass so a single individual was represented. This was an adult animal with fully erupted and well worn molars. There was no apparent cause of death. The main mass of bones were first reviewed in the field (1983) by geologist E. A. Shapiro of the Georgia Geologic Survey (which was "abolished" in 2004). On Shapiro’s recommendation Georgia Southern University was called in and Richard Petkewich and Gale Bishop led the effort to recover the specimen. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Georgiacetus」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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