Baleen Whale - Evolutionary History

Evolutionary History

Early baleen whales first appeared as far back as the early Oligocene, or perhaps the latest Eocene (39–29 million years ago; e.g., Llanocetus). Early baleen whales possessed teeth inherited from their ancestors, as opposed to baleen, in modern species. The Oligocene species Aetiocetus cotylalveus is considered the evolutionary link between toothed and baleen whales. This species was discovered by fossil collector Douglas Emlong in 1964 near Seal Rock State Recreation Site, Oregon, in a sandstone formation. In the early 1990s, the species Janjucetus hunderi was discovered in Victoria, Australia by a surfer and was described in 2006 by E. M. G. Fitzgerald. Janjucetus was a baleen whale with sharp teeth that hunted fish and squid, as well as larger prey, potentially including sharks and dolphin-like cetaceans. These fossils hint the early baleen whales were predatory and eventually evolved into the gentler, toothless whales known today. A recent study identified palatal foramina (bony impressions of blood vessels that "feed" the baleen racks) in the palate of a toothed mysticete, Aetiocetus weltoni. The scientists involved indicated this discovery implies this whale previously possessed both teeth and baleen, and serves as an intermediate adaptive role between primitive, toothed mysticetes and more advanced, toothless mysticetes. The first baleen-bearing, toothless baleen whales (such as Eomysticetus and Micromysticetus) appeared in the late Oligocene. Early baleen whales probably could not echolocate; no anatomical evidence preserved in the skulls and ear regions of any fossil baleen whales show any of the adaptations associated with echolocation as in toothed whales.