Fossil of new extinct baleen whale discovered in New Zealand
Scientists have discovered a new species of extinct baleen whale after examining a skull and other bones that were discovered on New Zealand’s South Island 30 years ago.
Toipahautea waitaki, is estimated to have been around five metres in length and lived around 27.5 million years ago, making it one of the earliest known baleen whale to have been found so far.
Early whales initially had teeth before some evolved into baleen whales.
A new archaic baleen whale Toipahautea waitaki (early Late Oligocene, New Zealand) and the origins of crown Mysticeti
Cheng-Hsiu Tsai, R. Ewan Fordyce
Royal Society Open Science.
Published 18 April 2018. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.172453
