A newly discovered prehistoric whale, Janjucetus dullardi, has been found off the southern coast of Australia. The tiny whale, estimated to be around 25 million years old, had a short snout, large eyes, and razor-sharp teeth, making it “deceptively cute” but definitely not harmless.
Found in the shallow seas near the town of Jan Juc, Victoria, the fossilized remains were discovered by local school principal Ross Dullard in 2019. The team, led by paleontologists Erich Fitzgerald and Ruairidh Duncan, describes the whale as a small, early type of baleen whale that didn’t have baleen.
Janjucetus dullardi is believed to be an ancestor of modern baleen whales, such as the iconic blue whale. The discovery fills a missing chapter in the evolutionary chain of these massive creatures and provides valuable insights into their radiation and evolution.
“This was a really gnarly whale that I personally wouldn’t want to get in the water with,” Fitzgerald said. According to Duncan, the whale’s unique features make it “a little monster” – small but deadly.
Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/newly-discovered-prehistoric-whale-is-deceptively-cute-its-tiny-but-has-a-mouth-full-of-razor-sharp-teeth-180987165