Utah People's Post

The Latest News from the Beehive State

Saturday, June 10, 2023
Log in
  • National News
    • Female Caseworker Killed & Doctor Shot in Philadelphia
  • State News
    • Car Chase Leads to Drug Arrest
  • Tech & Science
  • Health
    • How to Prepare For Ticks Season
    • Magical Weight Loss Bean Scam
  • Sports
  • Business
You are here: Home / Nature / Researchers Challenge the Theory on the Ancestors of Blue Whales

Researchers Challenge the Theory on the Ancestors of Blue Whales

August 31, 2017 Posted by Gabrielle Stewart

Blue whale swimming in an imaginary ocean

Blue whales haven’t always been gentle, as their ancestors were fierce predators

A recent research changes the perception we had about blue whales. Evidence shows they used to have big sharp teeth which were great for catching prey. This means they weren’t as gentle and calm as they are today, but some fierce merciless killers. Only later they developed into the animals they are today, and lost their teeth.

Baleens are used to filter fish from the ocean water

Blue whales, together with southern right whales and humpback whales, no longer have teeth. In their place, they have some long smooth strands called baleens, which they use to filter tiny animals from the ocean and feed on them. This innovative method of feeding is so effective, that blue whales managed to reach such an impressive size.

However, researchers couldn’t tell how blue whales came to develop such a feeding system. Most theories agree on the fact that these creatures evolved from toothed whales. Initially, researchers thought these teeth formed a zig-zag pattern which sifted water.

Changing the theory on the evolution of blue whales’ teeth

Now, a study published in the journal Biology Letters contradicts these old theories. Researchers have performed scans on several fossils of a blue whale ancestor called Janjucetus, and discovered that it couldn’t have used its teeth for this purpose.

Its teeth were much too sharp to just act like a sieve. Therefore, the ancestor of the blue whales must have used them to catch and kill prey. Regarding baleens, this mechanism has evolved much later, most probably after whales had already lost their teeth.

This behavior bears no similarity to how blue whales act today, and reminds more of orcas and other of today’s toothed whales. In fact, Janjucetus had teeth as sharp as some terrestrial predators, such as the African lion. This is a surprising discovery, as it changes the old conceptions about the evolution of blue whales.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email

Filed Under: Nature

mm

About Gabrielle Stewart

Gabrielle Stewart graduated from Case Western Reserve University’s School of Graduate Studies with a Masters of Arts in Communication Sciences. She’s an avid reader and a lifelong learner. She likes to cover a wide range of news, but she’s particularly keen on Science.

Woman working out at the gym

Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time

June 29, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)

June 29, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

United Airlines airplane

Passenger Mysteriously Dies on United Airlines flight Bound for Boston

June 28, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Breakfast sandwich

Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat

June 27, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Poppy flower

UN Warns of Surge in Opium-based Drugs and Cocaine Supply

June 27, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

U.S.-Canada border

French Jogger Detained 2 Weeks for Accidentally Crossing Border

June 26, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Plus size model

Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

June 25, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Giant manta ray

Unique Manta Ray Nursery Spotted off Texas Coast

June 23, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

The rainbow flag

WHO Scraps Transgenderism from List of Mental Illnesses

June 22, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

456 People Dead at U.K. Hospital after Taking too Many Painkillers

June 21, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Kenyan girls dancing

Kenyans Facing Poor Nutrition as Supermarket Shopping Is on the Rise

June 20, 2018 By Amelia Donovan

Pages

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy GDPR
  • Staff
  • Terms and Conditions

Recent Posts

  • Just 23% of Americans Are Working Out Enough in Their Spare Time
  • Poliovirus Therapy Gives Brain Cancer Patients New Hope (Study)
  • Passenger Mysteriously Dies on United Airlines flight Bound for Boston
  • Here Are Some Foods No Nutritionist Would Ever Eat
  • UN Warns of Surge in Opium-based Drugs and Cocaine Supply
  • French Jogger Detained 2 Weeks for Accidentally Crossing Border
  • Normalizing Plus Size Could Fuel Obesity Crisis (Study)

Related Articles

  • Red tulips in a garden

    Flowers Cast a Bluish Hue from their Petals to Attract Bees

    Oct 20, 2017
  • Orca showing its teeth

    Most Captive Orcas Suffer from Severe Tooth Damage

    Oct 13, 2017
  • Polar bears feasting on an animal's carcass

    Hoard of Siberian Polar Bears Gathers for a Lifetime Feast on a Whale’s Carcass

    Oct 2, 2017
  • The Morning Glory Pool in Yellowstone

    NASA Researchers Found a Way to Avoid the Imminent Danger of Supervolcanoes

    Sep 11, 2017
  • Wasp parasiting an aphid

    Most Parasites Are Threatened to Go Extinct Because of Habitat Loss

    Sep 9, 2017
  • Sperm whale swimming close to the surface

    Solar Storms Might Be Responsible for Sperm Whale Strandings

    Sep 7, 2017
  • retriever guide dogs with mother and pup

    Perfect Guide Dogs Must Not Be Too Coddled, Says New Study

    Aug 9, 2017

Categories

  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • National News
  • Nature
  • Provo
  • Salt Lake News
  • Science
  • Sports
  • State News
  • Tech & Science
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized
  • West Jordan
  • West Valley City
  • World

Copyright © 2023 utahpeoplespost.com

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Site Map · Contact