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Vestigiality is the retention, during the process of evolution, of genetically determined structures or attributes that have lost some or all of the ancestral function in a given species. [1] Assessment of the vestigiality must generally rely on comparison with homologous features in related species.
Related to this the type species O. peruvianus is thought to have lacked a melon (an important sensory organ), or at the least only had a vestigial melon. The bony nares are now located near the tip of the skull, in contrast to the blowholes of whales and dolphins located on the top of the skull.
Livyatan had a short and wide rostrum measuring 10 feet (3.0 m) across, which gave the whale the ability to inflict major damage on large struggling prey, such as other early whales. Species like these are collectively known as killer sperm whales or macroraptorial sperm whales. [58] [59] Beaked whales consist of over 20 genera.
Evidence for common descent comes from the existence of vestigial structures. [72] These rudimentary structures are often homologous to structures that correspond in related or ancestral species. A wide range of structures exist such as mutated and non-functioning genes, parts of a flower, muscles, organs, and even behaviors.
Such is the case in whales, which have small vestigial bones that appear to be remnants of the leg bones of their ancestors which walked on land. [53] Humans also have vestigial structures, including the ear muscles, the wisdom teeth, the appendix, the tail bone, body hair (including goose bumps), and the semilunar fold in the corner of the eye ...
Coen Elemans, from the University of Southern Denmark, led a team that studied the carcasses of three whales that had died after being stranded, representing three different baleen whale species ...
Some species, such as the humpback whale, communicate using melodic sounds, known as whale song. These sounds may be extremely loud, depending on the species. Humpback whales only have been heard making clicks, while toothed whales use sonar that may generate up to 20,000 watts of sound (+73 dBm or +43 dBw) [55] and be heard for many miles.
Approving two proposed killer whale species could transform how they're conserved. It would also turn a new page in one of the strangest chapters in marine mammal history.