US EditionResearchers Name New Oligocene Whale Janjucetus dullardi
- Paleontologists confirmed a new whale species named Janjucetus dullardi this week, based on a 25-million-year-old fossil found in Victoria, Australia.
- Ross Dullard, a school principal and fossil hunter, discovered the partial skull at Jan Juc Beach in 2019, marking the first mammalodontid found in Australia since 2006.
- The partial skull, containing teeth and ear bones, belonged to a juvenile whale approximately three meters in length that existed between 34 and 23 million years ago, during the Oligocene Epoch.
- Janjucetus dullardi had tennis ball-sized eyes and a shark-like snout, and Dullard described his discovery as "literally the greatest 24 hours of my life."
- This discovery provides new insights into early whale evolution and helps scientists study ancient adaptations to warmer oceans relevant to current climate change.
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Canberra CityNews
PerthNowScientists identify 'deceptively cute' ancient whale
Janjucetus dullardi looked like “a weird kind of mash-up between a whale, a seal and a Pokemon”. (AP PHOTO) By Charlotte Graham-McLay in Washington The chance discovery of a 25 million-year-old fossil on an Australian beach has allowed palaeontologists to identify a rare, entirely new species that could unlock mysteries of whale evolution. Researchers last week officially named Janjucetus dullardi, a cartoonish creature with bulging eyes the siz…
Unveiling Janjucetus: The Prehistoric Puzzle of Australia's Ancestors | Science-Environment
A 25 million-year-old fossil, discovered by an amateur fossil hunter in Australia, reveals a new species, Janjucetus dullardi, shedding light on early whale evolution. Unlike modern whales, Janjucetus featured a small body and formidable teeth. The discovery, crucial for understanding cetacean history, underscores challenges in identifying rare fossils.
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