Tag Archives: Deceptively

New species of “deceptively cute” but fearsome ancient whale named after local who found its skull on beach

New species of “deceptively cute” but fearsome ancient whale named after local who found its skull on beach

Australian scientists have discovered a razor-toothed whale that prowled the seas 26 million years ago, saying Wednesday the species was “deceptively cute” but a fearsome predator. Museums Victoria pieced together the species from an unusually well-preserved skull fossil found on Victoria’s Surf Coast in 2019. In a study published Tuesday, scientists say they discovered a “fast, sharp-toothed predator” that would …

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‘Deceptively cute’ ancient whale with razor-sharp teeth and eyes the size of tennis balls discovered in Australia | Environment

‘Deceptively cute’ ancient whale with razor-sharp teeth and eyes the size of tennis balls discovered in Australia | Environment

“Small and deceptively cute, but definitely not harmless” is how scientists have described a new species of ancient whale, from a 25-million-year-old fossil found on Victoria’s surf coast. This early species, called Janjucetus dullardi, was an extremely unusual animal, said Dr Erich Fitzgerald, senior curator of vertebrate palaeontology at Museums Victoria Research Institute. It was tiny – about the size …

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