New species of prehistoric whale discovered in Australia
Researchers just uncovered a new prehistoric whale species, Janjucetus dullardi, near Jan Juc Beach in Victoria.
This whale lived about 26 million years ago and was only around 2 meters long—about the size of a tall human.
Unlike today's gentle, filter-feeding whales, J. dullardi had big eyes and sharp teeth, making it more of a hunter than a drifter.
Fossil includes rare ear bones and teeth
The fossil includes rare ear bones and teeth, which helped scientists figure out that J. dullardi belonged to an extinct group called mammalodontids—only four species are known worldwide.
The structure of its inner ear gives insight into how it might have sensed and navigated its environment millions of years ago.
Janjucetus helps trace the evolution of modern whales
Janjucetus fills a key gap between toothed and filter-feeding whales during the Oligocene Epoch.
Its discovery highlights southeastern Australia as a hotspot for ancient whale fossils and helps explain how modern whales developed their unique features over time.