#protocetus

[romanwetland]

Epochtober Day 6: Eocene (Protocetus) 🐋 #digitalart #digitalpainting #procreate #paleoart #paleontology #protocetus #whale #evolution #eocene

[fear-the-hippo]

Cetaceans really went “Nope nevermind” didn’t they

So for those of you that don’t know, cetaceans (dolphins, whales, porpoises, etc) used to be... not that. Because evolution. And you also probably know that all life started out in the ocean, or at least were told that in school even if you don’t believe it.

So really, really early on, cetaceans were bony fish. And then life figured out how to Arm and Leg and Lungs, and eventually we got this:

Yes, indeed, that is a Very Early Cetacean. So they hung out on land for a while, doing Small Weird Rat Things, hunting and having babies. And eventually, Because Reasons, they started thinking about going in the ocean again. And then they turned into this:

I do not like looking at this thing, because it looks like some sort of fucked-up cryptid. However, this is sort of a proto-whale. And relevant to this. So here, I curse you with Protocetus, literally “first whale” because biologists highkey can’t actually name things, it just sounds fancy and pretentious because we’re using Latin.

And Protocetus continued to do Ocean Things for a long time, and then we sort of had a whale/dolphin that actually Looks Correct, called Basilosaurus. 

Which evolution eventually polished into this:

And this:

(Behold, a bastard)

And in case you don’t believe me, which is probably fair, because we went from a weird rat thing to dolphins and whales, your proof lies in the skeleton

Behold, the whale pelvis. A very small sad vestigial pelvis, but a pelvis nonetheless. Tiny leg bones and all. 

[ambulocetus-natans]

Whale evolution by Rainbowleo

[ambulocetus-natans]

Cetacea: Back to the Sea (Whale Evolution) by Rhizae

[palaeopedia]

The first whale, Protocetus (1904)

Phylum : Chordata Class : Mammalia Order : Cetacea Suborder : Archaeoceti Family : Protocetidae Genus : Protocetus Species : P. atavus

Middle Eocene (42 - 38 Ma)

2,5 m long and 100 kg (size)

Mokattam formation, Egypt (map)

Despite its name, Protocetus wasn't technically the "first whale;" as far as we know, that honor belongs to the four-legged, land-bound Pakicetus, which lived a few million years earlier. Whereas the dog-like Pakicetus ventured only occasionally into the water, Protocetus was much better adapted to an aquatic lifestyle, with a lithe, seal-like body and powerful front legs. Also, the nostrils of this prehistoric whale were located midway up its forehead, foreshadowing the blowholes of its modern descendants, and its ears were better adapted to hearing underwater.

[todropscience]

the evolution of cetaceans (humpback whale, janjucetus, protocetus, kutchicetus, ambulocetus, and pakicetus)

by Kory Bing

[hetcrimes]

[biophonies]

More prehistoric whalessss, because their evolutionary development is probably the most impressive of all modern mammals. <3