The skeleton was found in a
phosphate mining area, Kpogamé-Hahotoé, which is located just north of
Lake Togo. It was embedded in a
phospharenite bone bed dating back to 46 – 44 million years ago, and overlying an older rock unit, the
Tabligbo Group. The remains were described in 2014 by
Philip D. Gingerich and
Henri Cappetta, who established for it the new
monotypic genus
Togocetus and the new species
T. traversei, dedicated to Michel Traverse. It shared many similarities with the protocetid genera
Protocetus and
Pappocetus, the main differences being a smaller
mandibular canal, the loss of the
fovea capitis femoris (hence of the
ligament of head of femur) and some traits related to the molar
trigonids. Later analysis of ear structure evidence originally attributed to
Togocetus raised some question regarding established understanding of protocetid evolution. The original analysis revealed a contradiction in assumed relationship between
ear ossicle structure and mandibular canal size; later research and additional evidence revealed multiple places where more modern, specialized traits were blended unexpectedly with archaic ones, causing some controversy. Despite the fragmentary nature of the fossil record and the subtleties differentiating protocetids,
T. traversei has consistently been shown to have unique features defining it, including a completely novel entoglenoid shape and several fossae otherwise not seen in contemporary cetaceans. ==References==