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Japanese whaling ship

Infamous whale slaughter ship docks for the final time

The whaling ship, Nisshin Maru has returned to the port of Shimonoseki for the final...
Sperm whale

Dominica announces new protections for sperm whales

Dominica has placed almost 800 square kilometers of sea off the west coast of the...
Porpoise dies after becoming entangled in fishing net

UK government rejects chance to protect whales and dolphins

The government has formally rejected almost all of the crucial recommendations made in a House...
Common dolphins © Christopher Swann

Ocean areas selected for conservation are now in danger says task force

The international task force celebrating 10 years of work mapping out Important Marine Mammal Areas...

Fossil of modern whales' ancient relative discovered in Peru

Scientists have gained a new insight into the evolution of baleen whales after the discovery of fossil remains from 36 million years ago at Playa Media Luna in Peru.

It was already known that baleen whales, such as blue and humpback whales, shared a common ancestor with toothed whales, which used teeth to grab its prey. The latest discovery appears to be the earliest relative of baleen whales after the branches split in two. The whale, named Mystacodon selensis, was around four metres in length and still had teeth. However, analysis of its skill, jaw and teeth indicates it fed by straining its prey before expelling the water, similar to how baleen whales feed.

One unexpected discovery from this latest fossil find is that it appears to have still had small limbs sticking out from its body. It had previously been thought that both branches of the family tree had lost their limbs during evolution before splitting.

Full report:
Earliest Mysticete from the Late Eocene of Peru Sheds New Light on the Origin of Baleen Whales
Manuel Martínez-Cáceres, Giovanni Bianucci, Claudio Di Celma, Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi, Etienne Steurbaut, Mario Urbina, Christian de Muizon
Current Biology

About George Berry

George is a member of WDC's Communications team and website coordinator.