Biology
Scientific paper
May 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010areps..38..189u&link_type=abstract
Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, vol. 38, issue 1, pp. 189-219
Biology
1
Scientific paper
Whales are first found in the fossil record approximately 52.5 million years ago (Mya) during the early Eocene in Indo-Pakistan. Our knowledge of early and middle Eocene whales has increased dramatically during the past three decades to the point where hypotheses of whale origins can be supported with a great deal of evidence from paleontology, anatomy, stratigraphy, and molecular biology. Fossils also provide preserved evidence of behavior and habitats, allowing the reconstruction of the modes of life of these semiaquatic animals during their transition from land to sea. Modern whales originated from ancient whales at or near the Eocene/Oligocene boundary, approximately 33.7 Mya. During the Oligocene, ancient whales coexisted with early baleen whales and early toothed whales. By the end of the Miocene, most modern families had originated, and most archaic forms had gone extinct. Whale diversity peaked in the late middle Miocene and fell thereafter toward the Recent, yielding our depauperate modern whale fauna.
No associations
LandOfFree
The Origin(s) of Whales does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Origin(s) of Whales, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Origin(s) of Whales will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1892706