Saghacetus is a extinct genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of cetacean

Cetacea

The order Cetacea includes the marine mammals commonly known as whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Cetus is Latin and is used in biological names to mean "whale"; its original meaning, "large sea animal", was more general. It comes from Ancient Greek , meaning "whale" or "any huge fish or sea...

 archaeocete

Archaeoceti

Archaeocetes, or "ancient whales", are a paraphyletic group of cetaceans that gave rise to the modern cetaceans.The archaeocetes were once thought to have evolved from the mesonychids, based on dental characteristics...

, belonging to the family Basilosauridae

Basilosauridae

Basilosauridae is family of extinct cetaceans that lived in tropical seas during the late Eocene.-Taxonomy:*Family Basilosauridae** Subfamily Basilosaurinae*** Genus Basilosaurus*** Genus Basiloterus** Subfamily Dorudontinae...

. Existed during the Upper Eocene in Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

.

The name Saghacetus was established in 1992 by Philip D. Gingerich

Philip D. Gingerich

Philip D. Gingerich is a Professor of Paleontology, Professor of Geological Sciences, Professor of Biology, Professor of Anthropology and Director, Museum of Paleontology at the University of Michigan. His research focus is in vertebrate paleontology, especially the Paleocene-Eocene transition and...

 to group the ancient species Dorudon osiris, Dorudon zitteli, Dorudon sensitivius and Dorudon elliotsmithii on a single species, Saghacetus osiris. This species is distinguished from other members of the subfamily Dorudontinae

Dorudontinae

Dourdontinae are a group of extinct cetaceans that are related to Basilosaurus.- Classification :*Subfamily Dorudontinae** Genus Ancalecetus*** Ancalecetus simonsi** Genus Chrysocetus*** Chrysocetus healyorum...

by its smaller size and the proximal lumbar and caudal vertebrae slightly elongated.