Whales michelle hoffman trotter

The Evolution of Whales

By tomtimonera
  • 500

    Pakicetus

    Pakicetus
    Also known as the "first whale", its fossils were discovered by paleontologists in 1983 and showed that they had an ear bone unique to whales.
  • 921

    Dorudon

    Dorudon
    Lived during the late Eocene Period around 41-33 million years ago, thought to be a dolphin by paleontologists because of their resemblance. They weighed around 1,000 pounds and 16 feet long.
  • 1200

    Squalodon

    Squalodon
    Believed to be an iguanodontid dinosaur but has been reclassified, named in 1840 and named after Squalus shark.

  • Cetotherium

    Cetotherium
    Became alive in the Oligocene epoch, was a toothed whale and disappeared 10 million years ago.

  • Whales - Today

    Whales - Today
    Belongs to certacea along with dolphins and porpoises. Divided into two groups baleen and toothed whales, baleen being the biggest largest species of whale and toothed whales using their echolocation to sense their surrounding to prey.