Cynthiacetus

Cynthiacetus is an extinct genus of basilosaurid early whale that lived during the Late Eocene (Bartonian-Priabonian, .) Specimens have been found in the southeastern United States and Peru (Otuma Formation).
Description.
The skull of "Cynthiacetus" was similar in size and morphology to that of "Basilosaurus", but "Cynthiacetus" lacked the elongated vertebrae of "Basilosaurus". erected the genus to avoid the "nomen dubium" "Pontogeneus" (which was based on poorly described and now vanished specimens). "Cynthiacetus" was smaller than "Masracetus".
The South American species "C. peruvianus", the first archaeocete to be described on that continent, mainly differs from "C. maxwelli" in the number of cuspids in the lower premolars, but it also has the greatest numbers of thoracic vertebrae (20).