"Moby-Dinky: The Ancient Whale Named after King Tut that Defies Size"
Originally Published 2 years ago — by The New York Times
Paleontologists in Egypt have discovered the fossil of Tutcetus rayanensis, a previously unknown species of miniature whale that lived 41 million years ago during the late middle Eocene. Measuring about eight feet long and weighing approximately 400 pounds, Tutcetus is the smallest known member of the basilosaurid family. The discovery challenges conventional assumptions about the life history of primitive whales and provides insights into the evolutionary changes in whale anatomy. The fossil was named in honor of King Tutankhamen and coincides with the centenary of the discovery of his tomb.