Scientists have discovered a new species of ancient whale, Janjucetus dullardi, from a 25-million-year-old fossil found on Victoria’s surf coast. The tiny whale was about the size of a dolphin and had razor-sharp teeth, unlike its closest living relatives in the baleen whale family.
The whale’s skull was “almost over-engineered” with large eyes and a short snout, making it look more like a shark than a gentle giant. Researchers Dr Erich Fitzgerald and Ruairidh Duncan described the species as “little whales with big eyes and sharp teeth.”
The fossil find included a partial skull, ear bone, and eight teeth, which enabled scientists to identify it as a new species. The whale was likely about 2-2.2m long when fully grown, compared to 3m in adulthood.
Janjucetus dullardi lived during the Oligocene era (30-23 million years ago), a time of global warmth and rising seas. The discovery sheds light on the evolutionary steps of early carnivorous whales transitioning to filter feeders.
The find highlights the critical role that local residents, such as Ross Dullard, play in Australian palaeontology. Dullard found the fossil in 2019 while walking along the beach near Jan Juc and donated it to the museum for further study.
The discovery demonstrates that world-changing fossils can be found in your own backyard, emphasizing the importance of fieldwork by professional scientists and members of the public.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/13/deceptively-cute-ancient-whale-with-razor-sharp-teeth-and-eyes-the-size-of-tennis-balls-discovered-in-australia