Paleontologists Discover Weird ‘Pokémon' Ancestor of Modern Whales
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Paleontologists Discover Weird ‘Pokémon' Ancestor of Modern Whales
Researchers have named a bizarre, prehistoric species of whale discovered on a beach in Australia. Janjucetus dullardi 'might have looked for all the world like some weird kind of mash-up between a whale, a seal, and a Pokémon,' according to Erich Fitzgerald, a senior paleontologist at Museums Victoria Research Institute who co-authored the paper on the discovery. Measuring less than ten feet and roaming the oceans around 25 million years ago, the underwater beasts would have boasted bulbous eyes the size of tennis balls, razor-sharp teeth, and a pointed snout. Fitzgerald adds they may also even have had 'tiny little nubbins of legs just projecting as stumps from the wall of the body.' The first specimen, comprising a partial skull with ear bones and teeth, was found in 2019 by amateur fossil hunter Ross Dullard, a school principal after whom the species has now been named. Dullard says he plans to host a fossil party to celebrate the naming over the weekend. 'That's taken my concentration for six years,' he said. 'I've had sleepless nights. I've dreamt about this whale.'
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Paleontologists Discover Weird ‘Pokémon' Ancestor of Modern Whales
Researchers have named a bizarre, prehistoric species of whale discovered on a beach in Australia. Janjucetus dullardi 'might have looked for all the world like some weird kind of mash-up between a whale, a seal, and a Pokémon,' according to Erich Fitzgerald, a senior paleontologist at Museums Victoria Research Institute who co-authored the paper on the discovery. Measuring less than ten feet and roaming the oceans around 25 million years ago, the underwater beasts would have boasted bulbous eyes the size of tennis balls, razor-sharp teeth, and a pointed snout. Fitzgerald adds they may also even have had 'tiny little nubbins of legs just projecting as stumps from the wall of the body.' The first specimen, comprising a partial skull with ear bones and teeth, was found in 2019 by amateur fossil hunter Ross Dullard, a school principal after whom the species has now been named. Dullard says he plans to host a fossil party to celebrate the naming over the weekend. 'That's taken my concentration for six years,' he said. 'I've had sleepless nights. I've dreamt about this whale.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Over 1,200 animals released to underwater 'hotels' along Aussie coastline
More than 1,200 seahorse babies have been released off the Australian coast by divers after major flooding almost wiped out the native species in recent years. The White's seahorses were bred in captivity and released from large plastic bags near Port Stephens in New South Wales last month. In a desperate bid to boost the population, scientists even went as far as creating underwater habitats for the creatures. These "seahorse hotels" are intentionally made using metal so the artificial structures will slowly rust away, allowing organic materials in the ocean, such as sponges, coral and algae, to take over and regenerate alongside the introduced seahorses. "The release of 1,200 White's seahorses gives real hope for the future of this iconic species," Tara Moriatry, NSW Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, said. Dr Fiona Fraser, the Australian Threatened Species Commissioner, explained the release is the "largest ever undertaken in the world" and the large-scale breeding program — funded by the federal government and led by NSW Fisheries — has also had help from more than 400 local school children. More releases are also set for later in the year in Botany Bay, with help from traditional custodians, the Gamay Rangers. 💔 Horrified locals speak out after latest 'heartbreaking' scenes on beaches ⛷️ Skiers film 'bizarre' encounter high on Aussie ski slopes ⛴️ Woman's weird find dropped on deck of boat Authorities desperately try to boost endangered seahorse population The White's seahorse is endemic to the east coast of Australia, and as they favour shallow-water habitats, extreme weather conditions can easily damage the close-to-shore habitat. Alongside Port Stephens, the species are abundant in Sydney Harbour and Port Hacking, but have been categorised as endangered since 2020. More than 90 per cent of soft coral and sponge habitats have declined where seahorses were once in abundance, and this is significantly impacting the species. The seahorses are named after John White, the Surgeon General to the First Fleet, and is one of four species of seahorse found in NSW waters. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
