Eocene Whales

Origin of whales from early artiodactyls: hands and feet of Eocene Protocetidae from Pakistan.

Partial skeletons of two new fossil whales, Artiocetus clavis and Rodhocetus balochistanensis, are among the oldest known protocetid archaeocetes. These came from early Lutetian age (47 million years ago) strata in eastern Balochistan Province, Pakistan. Both have an astragalus and cuboid in the ankle with characteristics diagnostic of artiodactyls; R. balochistanensis has virtually complete fo...

A new Eocene archaeocete (Mammalia, Cetacea) from India and the time of origin of whales.

Himalayacetus subathuensis is a new pakicetid archaeocete from the Subathu Formation of northern India. The type dentary has a small mandibular canal indicating a lack of auditory specializations seen in more advanced cetaceans, and it has Pakicetus-like molar teeth suggesting that it fed on fish. Himalayacetus is significant because it is the oldest archaeocete known and because it was found i...

Transition of Eocene Whales from Land to Sea: Evidence from Bone Microstructure

Cetacea are secondarily aquatic amniotes that underwent their land-to-sea transition during the Eocene. Primitive forms, called archaeocetes, include five families with distinct degrees of adaptation to an aquatic life, swimming mode and abilities that remain difficult to estimate. The lifestyle of early cetaceans is investigated by analysis of microanatomical features in postcranial elements o...

Minke Whales

Beaked whales

with other cats. Finally, cats need to read and understand human behaviour better (which is where dogs have really excelled). Bradshaw argues that early socialisation and training can help achieve some of these goals, but that we should also consider selective breeding of behaviour. Controversially, the author is suggesting that widespread neutering in the UK be relaxed, arguing that the practi...