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Janjucetus was a prehistoric whale genus belonging to the group Mysticeti, which includes all baleen whales. Janjucetus hunderi is the only known species of the genus. Janjucetus lived during the Late Oligocene, over 25 million years ago. Unlike other baleen whales, Janjucetus was equipped with teeth used for gripping and shredding prey and is thought to have had little or no baleen. Janjucetus ate large fish and possibly even larger prey, such as small sharks. It would have relied on active hunting routines due to its lack of baleen or use of echolocation. Fossils, to date, have only been found in Australian waters. The Oligocene epoch is a geologic period of time that extends from about 34 million to 23 million years before the present. ...
The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ...
An ammonite fossil Eocene fossil fish of the genus Knightia Petrified wood fossil formed through permineralization. ...
For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ...
Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera Subregnum Eumetazoa Placozoa Orthonectida Rhombozoa Radiata (unranked) Ctenophora Cnidaria Bilateria (unranked) Acoelomorpha Myxozoa Superphylum Deuterostomia Chordata Hemichordata Echinodermata Chaetognatha Xenoturbellida Superphylum Ecdysozoa Kinorhyncha Loricifera Priapulida Nematoda Nematomorpha Onychophora Tardigrada Arthropoda Superphylum Platyzoa Platyhelminthes Gastrotricha Rotifera Acanthocephala Gnathostomulida Micrognathozoa Cycliophora Superphylum Lophotrochozoa Sipuncula Nemertea Phoronida Ectoprocta Bryozoa...
Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with...
Subclasses Allotheria* Order Multituberculata (extinct) Order Volaticotheria (extinct) Order Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Order Triconodonta (extinct) Prototheria Order Monotremata Theria Infraclass Marsupialia Infraclass Eutheria The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals characterized by the production of milk in females for the nourishment of young, from mammary glands present on most species...
Orders Order Cetacea Order Artiodactyla Humpback Whale breaching. ...
Suborders Mysticeti Odontoceti Archaeoceti (extinct) (see text for families) The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. ...
Families Balaenidae Balaenopteridae Eschrichtiidae Neobalaenidae Scientifically known as the Mysticeti, the baleen whales, also called whalebone whales or great whales, form a suborder of the order cetacea. ...
2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ...
2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
A Fin whale The term whale is ambiguous: it can refer to all cetaceans, to just the smaller ones, or only to members of particular families within the order Cetacea. ...
For other uses of the word, please see Genus (disambiguation). ...
Families Balaenidae Balaenopteridae Eschrichtiidae Neobalaenidae Scientifically known as the Mysticeti, the baleen whales, also called whalebone whales or great whales, form a suborder of the order cetacea. ...
Families Balaenidae Balaenopteridae Eschrichtiidae Neobalaenidae Scientifically known as the Mysticeti, the baleen whales, also called whalebone whales or great whales, form a suborder of the order cetacea. ...
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biodiversity. ...
The Oligocene epoch is a geologic period of time that extends from about 34 million to 23 million years before the present. ...
A giant grouper at the Georgia Aquarium Fish are aquatic vertebrates that are typically cold-blooded; covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. ...
Orders see text Sharks are a group (superorder Selachimorpha) of fish, with a full cartilaginous skeleton, a streamlined body plan with between 5 and 7 gill slits along the sides (most often) or side of the head (the first modified slit is behind the eye and called a spiracle), dermal...
Echolocation, also called Biosonar, is the biological sonar used by several mammals such as bats, dolphins and whales. ...
Description
Janjucetus' body length is estimated at around 3.5 metres (11.5 feet), about the size of the bottlenose dolphin. This size is relatively small compared to other baleen whales discovered. Although related to the baleen whales, Janjucetus had 1.4 inch teeth that were sharp and serrated. However, the whale did show many similarities to other baleen whales in its skull. The eyes of the whale are estimated to be very large, giving it exceptional eyesight. Due to Janjucetus being incapable of using echolocation it probably would have relied on its good eyesight instead. Janjucetus had a short, yet broad snout, with clearly overhanging teeth and elongated nasal passages. Janjucetus' jaw was fairly robust and large, perfectly equipped for the task of capturing and shredding live prey. Binomial name Tursiops truncatus Montagu, 1821 Bottlenose Dolphin range (in blue) The Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is the most common and well-known dolphin species. ...
Echolocation, also called Biosonar, is the biological sonar used by several mammals such as bats, dolphins and whales. ...
Janjucetus is thought to have been related to several other prehistoric baleen whales, including Mammalodon. However, the characteristics shown by Janjucetus are considered to be unique among all Mysticeti, perhaps even all Cetaceans. Families Balaenidae Balaenopteridae Eschrichtiidae Neobalaenidae Scientifically known as the Mysticeti, the baleen whales, also called whalebone whales or great whales, form a suborder of the order cetacea. ...
Suborders Mysticeti Odontoceti (see text) The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. ...
History The only known fossil of Janjucetus was found in the late 1990s by an Australian surfer near the Victorian township of Jan Juc, after which the ancient whale is named. The whale, Janjucetus hunderi, is also named after the teenage surfer who found it, Staumn Hunder. Hunder is said to have seen the brown fossils on a boulder while he surfed. Soon after discovering the site, Hunder and his father removed the boulder and transported it to the Monash University for further research. However, until Erich Fitzgerald started long-term reseach on the fossils in 2003, little had been established about the whale remains. Fitzgerald first published his findings in the journal, Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Capital Melbourne Government Const. ...
Jan Juc is a coastal town of Victoria, Australia, adjacent to Torquay, Victoria. ...
Cover of Proceedings of the Royal Society is a scientific journal published by the Royal Society of London. ...
The well-preserved fossil remains, which include a nearly complete skull, mandibles, teeth, vertebrae, ribs, scapulae and a radius, are currently held in the Museum Victoria Palaeontology Collection in Melbourne, Australia. The holotype of Janjucetus is the most complete Paleogene cetacean find from Australia yet to be found. Melbournes Yarra River is a popular area for walking, jogging, cycling, rowing and for relaxing on the banks with a picnic Melbourne (pronounced ) is the second most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 3. ...
A holotype is one of several possible types. ...
Paleogene (alternatively Palaeogene) period is a unit of geologic time that began 65 and ended 23 million years ago. ...
Paleobiology Janjucetus ate much larger prey than its baleen relatives, often hunting fish or slightly larger creatures. Janjucetus is thought to share a feeding pattern similar to that of the present leopard seal and to varied ancient marine reptiles. Both would attack their prey quickly and proceed to strip flesh from it. Binomial name Hydrurga leptonyx (Blainville, 1820) The Leopard Seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) is one of the true seals belonging to the family Phocidae. ...
Subclasses Anapsida Diapsida Reptiles are tetrapods and amniotes, animals whose embryos are surrounded by an amniotic membrane. ...
Due to the lack of the common features of echolocation-able Cetaceans, such as an enlarged front temple, it has been established that Janjucetus was unable to perform echolocation. Whether it could receive echolocation signals is however unknown. Echolocation, also called Biosonar, is the biological sonar used by several mammals such as bats, dolphins and whales. ...
References Fitzgerald, E.M.G. (2006). "A bizarre new toothed mysticete (Cetacea) from Australia and the early evolution of baleen whales." Proceedings of the Royal Society B. ISSN 0962-8452. Cover of Proceedings of the Royal Society is a scientific journal published by the Royal Society of London. ...
External links - Article describing Janjucetus
- National Geographic News
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