‘Deceptively cute' prehistoric whale species with 'slicing teeth' discovered in Australia
Scientists in Australia have discovered a new species of ancient whale that they are deeming "deceptively cute" due to its huge tennis ball-sized eyes and razor-sharp teeth.
The Janjucetus dullardi is nothing like the sea giants we know today, but is one of their earliest-known cousins, living around 30 million years ago.
The discovery was made by scientists at Museums Victoria's Research Institute, who examined an ancient 26-million-year-old fossil found on Wadawurrung Country, along Victoria's Surf Coast.
The small and ancient creature gives new insight on the early evolution of the baleen whales found in our oceans today. Janjucetus dullardi was a fast, sharp-toothed predator about the size of a dolphin, leading researchers to describe it as a 'baby whale'.
With a short snout, large forward-facing eyes and slicing teeth, the prehistoric creature would have been fearsome in the warm, shallow seas of ancient Victoria.
Ruairidh Duncan, PhD student at the Museums Victoria Research Institute and Monash University, and lead author of the study said: "It's essentially a little whale with big eyes and a mouth full of sharp, slicing teeth.
"Imagine the shark-like version of a baleen whale – small and deceptively cute, but definitely not harmless."
The fossil examined by the Australian researchers was a partial skull with ear bones and teeth, and was discovered in June 2019 by local resident Ross Dullard as he walked along the beach.
Recognising its scientific potential, Dullard donated it to Museums Victoria, who have named the new species after him.
"This kind of public discovery and its reporting to the museum is vital," said Dr Erich Fitzgerald, senior curator of vertebrate palaeontology at Museums Victoria Research Institute and senior author of the study.
The scientist added: "Ross' discovery has unlocked an entire chapter of whale evolution we've never seen before. It's a reminder that world-changing fossils can be found in your own backyard."
The research has been published in the prestigious Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, and it identifies Janjucetus dullardi as a juvenile whale measuring just over two metres long.
Despite its small size, it belonged to a group known as mammalodontids, early whales that lived only during the Oligocene Epoch- around 30 to 23 million years ago.
According to Fitzgerald, this region of Australia was once a cradle for some of the most unusual whales in history, and their stories are only just beginning to be discovered.
And due to the whale's hot prehistoric habitat, scientists may also be able to analyse how ancient whales adapted to warmer oceans millions of years ago.
By examining how sea creatures evolved to previously warming oceans, scientists may also discover valuable clues about how today's marine life might respond to climate change, as modern day sea levels rise and waters continue to grow hotter.
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Daily Record
15 hours ago
- Daily Record
‘Deceptively cute' prehistoric whale species with 'slicing teeth' discovered in Australia
The ancient 'baby whale' was the size of a dolphin with eyes the size of tennis balls and lived around 30million years ago. Scientists in Australia have discovered a new species of ancient whale that they are deeming "deceptively cute" due to its huge tennis ball-sized eyes and razor-sharp teeth. The Janjucetus dullardi is nothing like the sea giants we know today, but is one of their earliest-known cousins, living around 30 million years ago. The discovery was made by scientists at Museums Victoria's Research Institute, who examined an ancient 26-million-year-old fossil found on Wadawurrung Country, along Victoria's Surf Coast. The small and ancient creature gives new insight on the early evolution of the baleen whales found in our oceans today. Janjucetus dullardi was a fast, sharp-toothed predator about the size of a dolphin, leading researchers to describe it as a 'baby whale'. With a short snout, large forward-facing eyes and slicing teeth, the prehistoric creature would have been fearsome in the warm, shallow seas of ancient Victoria. Ruairidh Duncan, PhD student at the Museums Victoria Research Institute and Monash University, and lead author of the study said: "It's essentially a little whale with big eyes and a mouth full of sharp, slicing teeth. "Imagine the shark-like version of a baleen whale – small and deceptively cute, but definitely not harmless." The fossil examined by the Australian researchers was a partial skull with ear bones and teeth, and was discovered in June 2019 by local resident Ross Dullard as he walked along the beach. Recognising its scientific potential, Dullard donated it to Museums Victoria, who have named the new species after him. "This kind of public discovery and its reporting to the museum is vital," said Dr Erich Fitzgerald, senior curator of vertebrate palaeontology at Museums Victoria Research Institute and senior author of the study. The scientist added: "Ross' discovery has unlocked an entire chapter of whale evolution we've never seen before. It's a reminder that world-changing fossils can be found in your own backyard." The research has been published in the prestigious Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, and it identifies Janjucetus dullardi as a juvenile whale measuring just over two metres long. Despite its small size, it belonged to a group known as mammalodontids, early whales that lived only during the Oligocene Epoch- around 30 to 23 million years ago. According to Fitzgerald, this region of Australia was once a cradle for some of the most unusual whales in history, and their stories are only just beginning to be discovered. And due to the whale's hot prehistoric habitat, scientists may also be able to analyse how ancient whales adapted to warmer oceans millions of years ago. By examining how sea creatures evolved to previously warming oceans, scientists may also discover valuable clues about how today's marine life might respond to climate change, as modern day sea levels rise and waters continue to grow hotter. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
The Independent
20 hours ago
- The Independent
Shark-like prehistoric whale with razor-sharp teeth discovered off Australia
Fossils unearthed along Victoria 's Surf Coast have led to the discovery of an ancient whale species with special adaptations for hunting, including large eyes and sharp teeth, shedding light on early marine mammal evolution. The species has been named Janjucetus dullardi after Victoria local resident Ross Dullard, who found the ancient whale's fossil fragments in 2019. Janjucetus dullardi is one of their earliest cousins of modern whales and roamed the seas around 26 million years ago, say researchers from Museums Victoria Research Institute. Unlike the modern gentle giants, Janjucetus dullardi w as a fast, sharp-toothed predator with a compact body about the size of a dolphin built for hunting, according to a new study published in the journal Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 'It's essentially a little whale with big eyes and a mouth full of sharp, slicing teeth ... Imagine the shark-like version of a baleen whale – small and deceptively cute, but definitely not harmless,' said Ruairidh Duncan, lead author of the study, The prehistoric whale had a short snout, large forward-facing eyes about the size of tennis balls and sharp slicing teeth, researchers say. The early whale ancestor would have been a compact, yet fearsome sight in the warm, shallow seas of ancient Victoria, scientists noted. The findings offer insight into the early evolution of baleen whales – the filter-feeding giant mammals cruising through modern oceans. It also sheds more light on the prehistoric region, now in modern-day Australia, which scientists say was 'once a cradle' for some of the most unusual whales in history. Researchers made the new species discovery based on a partial skull fossil with attached ear bone found in June 2019 by Victoria resident Mr Dullard while walking along the beach. After recognising its scientific importance, the Victoria resident donated the fossil to Museums Victoria, where researchers carefully studied it in detail. 'This kind of public discovery and its reporting to the museum is discovery has unlocked an entire chapter of whale evolution we've never seen before. It's a reminder that world-changing fossils can be found in your own backyard,' said study co-author Erich Fitzgerald, senior curator at Museums Victoria Research Institute. Scientists found that the fragments belonged to a juvenile specimen just over two metres long. They concluded that it belonged to a group of early whales known as mammalodontids that lived around 30 to 23 million years ago. The latest find marks the third known mammalodontid species from Victoria, and only the fourth found worldwide. It is also the first of its kind to preserve teeth and inner ear structures in detail, revealing how early whales fed, heard, moved and behaved in the water. Using advanced CT scans of the ear bones, researchers hope to further understand how the early species sensed its environment for hunting and navigating the oceans. 'This fossil opens a window into how ancient whales grew and changed, and how evolution shaped their bodies as they adapted to life in the sea,' Dr Fitzgerald said. 'We're entering a new phase of discovery. This region is rewriting the story of how whales came to rule the oceans, with some surprising plot twists!' he added,
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Terrifying ‘shark whale' with mouth full of razor sharp teeth from 26million years ago is discovered in Australia
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A FEARSOME "shark whale" that roamed the seas 26 million years ago has popped up again in Australia. Scientists say the predator's mouth is crammed full of razor-sharp teeth - and warn it is "deceptively cute". Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 The species known as Janjucetus dullardi was around the size of a dolphin Credit: Museums Victoria 5 It was discovered through a well-preserved skull fossil Credit: AFP 5 Museums Victoria Researcher Ruairidh Duncan holds up an ear bone Credit: AFP It's been rediscovered through a fossilised skull found lying on a beach in Victoria in 2019, as laid out in a new study in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. Researchers said the dolphin-sized beast was a "fast, sharp-toothed predator". They grew to around 2m - so slightly longer than the average human. Ruairidh Duncan from the team said: 'It's essentially a little whale with big eyes and a mouth full of sharp, slicing teeth. 'Imagine the shark-like version of a baleen whale – small and deceptively cute, but definitely not harmless.' The species is one of a group of prehistoric whales known as mammalodontids - a distant relative of today's filter-feeding whales. This skull marks the fourth species belonging to the group ever discovered. Erich Fitzgerald, a palaeontologist who co-authored the study, said: 'This fossil opens a window into how ancient whales grew and changed, and how evolution shaped their bodies as they adapted to life in the sea.' Victoria's Surf Coast has turned up a host of fossils from the period between 23 million and 30 million years ago, known as the Oligocene period. That's because it lies on the Jan Juc Formation, which has trapped many of the animals in time. Moment whale bashes boat & throws woman into sea It is particularly famous for producing rare fossils of prehistoric whales, and the discoveries have been essential to figuring out the evolution of the marine mammals. Erich said: 'This region was once a cradle for some of the most unusual whales in history, and we're only just beginning to uncover their stories. 'We're entering a new phase of discovery. 'This region is rewriting the story of how whales came to rule the oceans, with some surprising plot twists.' 5 A selection of skull bone fragments were found by an amateur fossil hunter on Victoria's Surf Coast Credit: AFP 5 Researchers say the whale would have been 'deceptively cute' Credit: AFP This particular species has been named Janjucetus dullardi after Ross Dullard, the local who stumbled across the skull fossil in 2019. Ross is a keen fossil hunter and often takes the the beaches with his young son, Billy. In 2022, the then three-year-old discovered an ancient shark period from the same period as the Janjucetus dullardi. Ross has donated a number of fossils to the Melbourne Museum.
