The ungulate ancestry of these early whales is still underlined by characteristics like the presence of hooves at the ends of toes in Rodhocetus.

They placed Makaracetus in its own subfamily (Makaracetinae) based on its unique adaptations for feeding (including only two incisors in each premaxilla).

To the extent postcrania are known (primarily from Rodhocetus, and more recently Peregocetus),[4] they possess a pelvis similar to those in land-living mammals, a sacrum articulated to the ilia and innominates and large hindlimbs used for foot-powered propulsion.

Their skulls and dentition are similar to those of protocetines, but the pelvis in Georgiacetus and Aegicetus indicate a reduced sacroiliac joint, with no substantial articulation between backbone and innominates.

Until recently, no hindlimb material was known for this subfamily, although the pelvic morphology seemed to hint at a tail-based rather than foot-based mode of aquatic locomotion.