Editing Rodhocetus (section)

===''R. balochistanensis''===
The fossil remains of ''R. balochistanensis'' were found in eastern [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]], [[Pakistan]] in 2001 by Philip Gingerich. Dating from about 47 million years ago, they are one of a series of recent discoveries, including the [[pakicetid]]s, which have thrown considerable light on the previously mysterious evolutionary origin of whales.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gingerich|first=Philip D|title=Research on the Origin and Early Evolution of Whales (Cetacea)|url=http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gingeric/PDGwhales/Whales.htm|access-date=26 January 2013}}</ref>

The holotype of ''Rodhocetus balochistanensis'', GSP-UM&nbsp;3485, is:<ref name="Gingetal-2001-2240">{{Harvnb|Gingerich|Haq|Zalmout|Khan|2001|loc=pp. 2240–2241; Note 35}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Gingerich|Haq|Zalmout|Khan|2001|loc=Suppl. mat.: Description of GSP-UM 3485, holotype of ''Rodhocetus balochistanensis''; [https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1063902 Supplemental Figure 4]}}</ref>
* A weathered braincase found at the surface next to a partial dentary with an unfused mandibular symphysis, a characteristic of protocetids.
* Large parts of the axial skeleton including cervical, thoracic and proximal caudal vertebrae, but excluding sacral vertebrae.
* Forelimb material including the left distal humerus, radius and ulna, and two virtually complete hand skeletons including all carpal bones, unfused and lacking an os centrale, and phalanges.
* Parts of the pelvis including an acetabular rim.
* Hind limb material includes the right femur, patella, tibia, and possible partial fibula; two virtually complete foot skeletons include tarsal and metatarsal bones and phalanges. The astragalus (heel bone) is characteristic of artiodactyls with a deep tibial trochlea restricting lateral movements and a large calcaneal tuber (posterior part of heel bone) providing leverage for powerful extension. The metatarsals and phalanges are very long and thin and can not have been weight-bearing, suggesting that ''Rodhocetus'' was predominantly aquatic and on land must have walked on the plantar surface of the tarsals. The shape of the metatarsal and phalanges reveal that these bones could be tightly compressed during flexion and widely separated during extension.

The five-fingered hand of ''R. balochistanensis'' is mesaxonic (i.e. has a central digit) with three weight-bearing central digits equipped with nail-like hooves, flanked by two more slender digits lacking hooves (distal phalanges preserved on first, second, and fourth digits). The four-toed foot is paraxonic (i.e. central axis passes between the two central digits), with all four digits ending in pointed nails (distal phalanges preserved on second and third digits).<ref>{{Harvnb|Gingerich|Haq|Zalmout|Khan|2001|loc=Fig. 2}}</ref>

With an estimated body weight of {{Convert|450|kg|abbr=on}}, ''R. balochistanensis'' was 13% smaller than ''R. kasrani'' ({{Convert|590|kg|abbr=on}}), but its femur is larger.<ref name="Gingetal-2001-2240" />