PBDB Taxon

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Dorudon

Osteichthyes - Cetacea - Basilosauridae

Taxonomy

Dorudon was named by Gibbes (1845). Its type is Dorudon serratus. It is the type genus of Dorudontinae. It was considered monophyletic by Uhen (2008), Martinez-Cáceres and Muizon (2011).

It was synonymized subjectively with Basilosaurus by Gibbes (1847), Bronn (1853), Gill (1872); it was synonymized subjectively with Zeuglodon by Pictet (1853), Scott (1873), Brandt (1874), Zittel (1894), Trouessart (1898), Zittel (1925); it was corrected as Doryodon by Cope (1867).

It was assigned to Zeuglodontidae by Stromer (1908); to Dorudontidae by Kellogg (1928), Hay (1930), Kellogg (1936), Simpson (1945); to Prozeuglodontidae by Moustafa (1954); to Cetacea by Sepkoski (2002); to Cetaceamorpha by Spaulding et al. (2009); to Dorudontinae by Uhen (1996), McKenna and Bell (1997), Uhen (1998), Uhen (2002), van Vliet (2004), Uhen (2004), Bouetel and Muizon (2006), McLeod and Barnes (2008), Uhen (2008), Uhen (2009), Fordyce and Roberts (2009), Schouten (2011), Gao and Ni (2015), Mahdy et al. (2019), Gingerich et al. (2022); and to Basilosauridae by Cope (1867), Hay (1902), Trouessart (1904), Palmer (1904), Carroll (1988), Benton (1993), Geisler and Sanders (2003), Clementz et al. (2006), Fitzgerald (2010), Martinez-Cáceres and Muizon (2011), Gingerich (2012), Uhen (2013), Cioppi (2014), Gingerich and Cappetta (2014), Boessenecker and Fordyce (2015), Marx et al. (2016), Martínez-Cáceres et al. (2017), Berta (2017), Uhen (2018), Zalmout et al. (2020), van Vliet et al. (2020), Hakkens et al. (2026).

Species

D. atrox (syn. D. stromeri, D. intermedius), D. serratus (type species)

Entered

by J. Sepkoski on 2003-01-23; modified by M. Uhen on 2026-07-09

Synonyms

Prozeuglodon was named by Andrews (1906) [Sepkoski's age data: T Eo-m-l T Eo-u Sepkoski's reference number: 1066].

It was synonymized subjectively with Dorudon by Uhen (2004).

It was assigned to Protocetidae by Kellogg (1928); to Zeuglodontinae by Slijper (1936); to Prozeuglodontidae by Moustafa (1954); to Zeuglodontidae by Andrews (1906), Abel (1914), Abel (1919), Winge (1921), Mchedlidze (1970); to Dorudontinae by Gingerich (1992); to Basilosauridae by Kellogg (1936), Simpson (1945), Carroll (1988), Benton (1993); and to Cetacea by Sepkoski (2002).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1845	Dorudon Gibbes p. 255 figs. Plate 1
1867	Doryodon Cope p. 144
1902	Dorudon Hay p. 587
1904	Dorudon Palmer p. 237
1904	Dorudon Trouessart p. 754
1906	Prozeuglodon Andrews p. 243
1908	Dorudon Stromer p. 148
1914	Prozeuglodon Abel p. 220
1919	Prozeuglodon Abel p. 751
1921	Prozeuglodon Winge p. 7
1928	Dorudon Kellogg p. 32 figs. Table 1
1928	Prozeuglodon Kellogg p. 32 figs. Table 1
1930	Dorudon Hay p. 568
1936	Prozeuglodon Kellogg p. 75
1936	Dorudon Kellogg p. 177
1936	Prozeuglodon Slijper p. 540
1945	Dorudon Simpson p. 100
1945	Prozeuglodon Simpson p. 100
1954	Dorudon Moustafa p. 87
1954	Prozeuglodon Moustafa p. 87
1970	Prozeuglodon Mchedlidze p. 50
1988	Dorudon Carroll
1988	Prozeuglodon Carroll
1992	Prozeuglodon Gingerich pp. 72-73
1993	Dorudon Benton p. 761
1993	Prozeuglodon Benton p. 761
1996	Dorudon Uhen p. 46
1997	Dorudon McKenna and Bell p. 369
1998	Dorudon Uhen p. 35
2002	Dorudon Sepkoski
2002	Prozeuglodon Sepkoski
2002	Dorudon Uhen p. 79
2003	Dorudon Geisler and Sanders p. 27
2004	Dorudon Uhen p. 13
2004	Dorudon van Vliet p. 143
2006	Dorudon Bouetel and Muizon p. 383
2006	Dorudon Clementz et al. p. 359
2008	Dorudon McLeod and Barnes p. 93
2008	Dorudon Uhen p. 562
2009	Dorudon Fordyce and Roberts p. 553
2009	Dorudon Spaulding et al. p. 4
2009	Dorudon Uhen p. 93
2010	Dorudon Fitzgerald p. 370 figs. Table 1
2011	Dorudon Martinez-Cáceres and Muizon
2011	Dorudon Schouten p. 18
2012	Dorudon Gingerich p. 313 figs. Figure 4
2013	Dorudon Uhen p. 10 figs. Figure 7
2014	Dorudon Cioppi p. 86
2014	Dorudon Gingerich and Cappetta p. 128 figs. Figure 16
2015	Dorudon Boessenecker and Fordyce figs. Table 1
2015	Dorudon Gao and Ni p. 156 figs. Table 1
2016	Dorudon Marx et al. p. 101
2017	Dorudon Berta p. 159
2017	Dorudon Martínez-Cáceres et al. p. 11
2018	Dorudon Uhen
2019	Dorudon Mahdy et al.
2020	Dorudon Zalmout et al. p. 128
2020	Dorudon van Vliet et al. p. 131
2022	Dorudon Gingerich et al. p. 2
2026	Dorudon Hakkens et al. p. 298

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
class	Osteichthyes
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota
subclass	Synapsida
—	Therapsida	()
infraorder	Cynodontia	()

Rank	Name	Author
—	Mammaliamorpha
—	Mammaliaformes
class	Mammalia
—	Cladotheria
—	Zatheria
subclass	Tribosphenida	()
subclass	Theria
—	Eutheria	()
—	Placentalia
—	Boreoeutheria
—	Laurasiatheria
—	Scrotifera
—	Euungulata
—	Artiodactylamorpha
—	Artiodactyla	()
—	Whippomorpha
order	Cetacea
—	Pelagiceti
family	Basilosauridae
genus	Dorudon

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

G. †Dorudon Gibbes 1845

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†Dorudon atrox Andrews 1906

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Invalid names: Dorudon intermedius Dart 1923 [synonym], Dorudon stromeri Kellogg 1928 [synonym]

†Dorudon serratus Gibbes 1845

Invalid names: Prozeuglodon Andrews 1906 [synonym]

Diagnosis

Reference	Diagnosis
M. D. Uhen 2004	Members of the genus Dorudon can be distinguished from other archaeocetes based on overall size, and other morphological characteristics. Members of the genus Dorudon are considerably larger than Saghacetus , and much smaller than members of the genus Pontogeneus. Saghacetus lacks the long narial process of the frontals which is characteristic of the genus Dorudon. Members of the genus Dorudon can be distinguished from the members of the genus Zygorhiza based on the lingual cingula on P2-3. While members of both genera have cingula on the mesial and distal ends of P2-3, those of Zygorhiza are much better developed and highly ornamented. Zygorhiza is slightly smaller than Dorudon atrox and has slightly more gracile forelimbs. Zygorhiza has a large narial process of the frontals like Dorudon atrox, but the medial maxillae of Zygorhiza touch both the nasals and the frontals. The posterior medial maxillae of members of the genus Dorudon contact only the nasals.
M. D. Uhen 2008	Dorudon is much smaller than both Basilosaurus and Cynthiacetus. Dorudon also lacks the elongate trunk vertebrae of Basilosaurus. Dorudon can be distinguished from Zygorhiza by the lack of tiny denticles on the cingula of the upper premolars (Köhler and Fordyce, 1997). The premolars of Dorudon have relatively lower crowns than those of Chrysocetus.
M. D. Uhen 2013	Members of the genus Dorudon are consid- erably larger than Saghacetus and Chrysocetus, and much smaller than members of the genera Basilosaurus or Cyn- thiacetus. Members of the genus Dorudon can be distin- guished from members of the genus Zygorhiza based on the lingual cingula on P2-3. While members of both gen- era have cingula on the mesial and distal ends of P2-3, those of Zygorhiza are much better developed and more highly ornamented. Dorudon is slightly larger and all com- parable skeletal elements are more robust than those in Zygorhiza.
J. W. P. Hakkens et al. 2026	Adult Dorudon are mid-sized basilosaurids (condylobasal length c. 85 cm; Kellogg 1936; Uhen 2004), smaller than Basilosaurus (Kellogg 1936), Basiloterus (Gingerich et al. 1997), Eocetus (Gingerich & Zouhri 2015), Cynthiacetus spp. (Martínez-Cáceres et al. 2017), Perucetus (Bianucci et al. 2023) and Masracetus (Gingerich 2007), larger than Chrysocetus (Uhen & Gingerich 2001), Saghacetus (Martínez-Cáceres et al. 2017), Ocucajea (Uhen et al. 2011), Stromerius (Gingerich 2007), and Tutcetus (Antar et al. 2023). The posterior narial region of Dorudon is characterized by: narial processes of the premaxillae which extend along c. 2/3 of the length of the nasals (shared with Cynthiacetus spp., Basilosaurus spp., Ocucajea; this study), medial margins of the maxillae which do not contact the frontals (shared with Cynthiacetus spp., Basilosaurus spp., Ocucajea; this study). The occipital shield is anterodorsally oriented (differing from Cynthiacetus spp., Saghacetus; this study), and the nuchal crest lacks a posteriorly projecting point at mid-height (this study). The tympanic bulla of Dorudon lacks the squared shape typical of Supayacetus (Uhen et al. 2011). The dentition of Dorudon is characterized by an enamel with fine vertical striae, and a cingulum that is distinctly smaller than that of Zy. kochii and lacks crenulations. The p1 of Dorudon is double-rooted (differing from Zy. kochii). The manubrium lacks the characteristic T-shape of Supayacetus (Uhen et al. 2011), and Pachycetus (Gol’din et al. 2014). The posterior thoracic, lumbar, and caudal vertebrae show no elongation, with the height, width and length of centra being approximately equal, differing from Pachycetinae (Gingerich et al. 2022), Basilosaurus spp. (Kellogg 1936; Uhen 2013a), Basiloterus (Gingerich et al. 1997), Eocetus (Gingerich & Zouhri 2015), Saghacetus (Martínez-Cáceres et al. 2017), and Stromerius (Gingerich 2007). The neural arches are likewise not elongated, and no sign of pachyostosis is notable (differing from Pachycetinae; Gingerich et al. 2022). The metapophyses on the lumbar vertebrae are not anteriorly elongated (differing from Stomerius; Gingerich 2007).

Measurements

No measurements are available

Composition:

hydroxyapatiteg

Form:

roller-shapedg

Ontogeny:

modification of partso

Environment:

marineg

Locomotion:

actively mobileg

Life habit:

aquaticg

Depth habitat:

surfaceo

Diet:

carnivoreg

Reproduction:

viviparousg

Created:

2005-03-06 14:09:01

Modified:

2005-03-06 16:35:14

Source: g = genus, o = order

Reference: Uhen 2004

Age range: base of the Bartonian to the top of the Late/Upper Eocene or 41.03000 to 33.90000 Ma

Collections (60 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Bartonian	41.03 - 37.71	USA (Mississippi)	Zygorhiza kochii (45625)
Bartonian - Priabonian	41.03 - 33.9	Western Sahara	D. atrox (159113)
Bartonian - Priabonian	41.03 - 33.9	Egypt	D. atrox (124995 124996 124997 124998 125003 125014)
Late/Upper Eocene	37.71 - 33.9	New Zealand (Canterbury)	Dorudontinae indet. (45041)
Priabonian	37.71 - 33.9	Italy (Parma)	D. sp. (32992)
Priabonian	37.71 - 33.9	Egypt (Fayum)	D. atrox (13402 13403 124991) Prozeuglodon atrox, Zeuglodon intermedius (83938) Prozeuglodon sp. (13103) Prozeuglodon stromeri (74740) Zeuglodon sp. (74739)
Priabonian	37.71 - 33.9	Jordan	D. atrox (32899)
Priabonian	37.71 - 33.9	Western Sahara	D. atrox (159106 159112 159114 159115) D. sp. (96686 96688 159111)
Priabonian	37.71 - 33.9	USA (South Carolina)	D. serratus (13405)
Priabonian	37.71 - 33.9	Egypt	D. atrox (13102 79676 79680 79682 96952 124990 124992 124993 124994 124999 125000 125001 125002 125004 125005 125006 125008 125010 125013 125015 125016 125017 125019 125020 125021 125022 125023 125025 125026 125028 198761)
Priabonian	37.71 - 33.9	USA (Georgia)	Zygorhiza kochii (27508 45640 60451)