Quid's pro quo...

rhamphotheca: Eocene Whales and Penguin Off the Coast of Peru Offshore Peru, during the Eocene (~56-34 million years ago), showing three archaeocetes (ancient whales), along with a previously described fossil penguin. Top to bottom: Perudyptes devriesi, unnamed protocetid, Ocucajea picklingi, and Supayacetus muizoni.  Smithsonian curator and paleobiologist Dr. Nicholas D. Pyenson was on the team that discovered the marine fossils in Peru’s Pisco Basin. Read his account of the research on our blog. (via: Smithsonian)   (image: Carl Buell) Ancient whales. View Larger

rhamphotheca:

Eocene Whales and Penguin Off the Coast of Peru

Offshore Peru, during the Eocene (~56-34 million years ago), showing three archaeocetes (ancient whales), along with a previously described fossil penguin. Top to bottom: Perudyptes devriesi, unnamed protocetid, Ocucajea picklingi, and Supayacetus muizoni.  Smithsonian curator and paleobiologist Dr. Nicholas D. Pyenson was on the team that discovered the marine fossils in Peru’s Pisco Basin.

Read his account of the research on our blog.

(via: Smithsonian)   (image: Carl Buell)

Ancient whales.

# whales animals are cool

Reblogged 1 year ago from rhamphotheca 286 notes
rhamphotheca: What is the Largest Whale? A Cetacea Size Comparison Chart How do right whales size up? North Atlantic Right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) are big, but they’re not the biggest whales. That distinction goes to the Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), the largest animal on Earth. While the Orca, or Killer whale size of up to 31 ft make it the largest dolphin. Below is a comparison chart of whale sizes. (CLICK THROUGH TO SEE LARGER) (via: Smithsonian Ocean Portal) \o/  All but two of these seen in the wild! /has a list like bird nerds have lists…. View Larger

rhamphotheca:

What is the Largest Whale? A Cetacea Size Comparison Chart

How do right whales size up? North Atlantic Right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) are big, but they’re not the biggest whales. That distinction goes to the Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), the largest animal on Earth. While the Orca, or Killer whale size of up to 31 ft make it the largest dolphin. Below is a comparison chart of whale sizes.

(CLICK THROUGH TO SEE LARGER)

(via: Smithsonian Ocean Portal)

\o/  All but two of these seen in the wild!

/has a list like bird nerds have lists….

# whales animals are cool

Reblogged 1 year ago from rhamphotheca 78 notes
rhamphotheca: Paleoparadoxia is a genus of large, herbivorous marine mammals that inhabited the northern Pacific coastal region during the Miocene  (10 - 20 mya). It ranged from the waters of Japan, to Alaska to the north, and down to Baja California, Mexico. Paleoparadoxia is thought to have fed primarily on seaweeds and sea grasses. The jaws and the angle of the teeth resemble a backhoe bucket. Its bulky body was well adapted for swimming and underwater foraging, but not for extended deep-sea living or deep diving. Like the modern-day seal, Paleoparadoxia probably came on shore for breeding and basking in the sun… (read more: Wikipedia) (image by Nobu Tamura) Wolf has a great great great great greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaate grandfather.  And he was a paradox.  Cool. View Larger

rhamphotheca:

Paleoparadoxia is a genus of large, herbivorous marine mammals that inhabited the northern Pacific coastal region during the Miocene  (10 - 20 mya). It ranged from the waters of Japan, to Alaska to the north, and down to Baja California, Mexico. Paleoparadoxia is thought to have fed primarily on seaweeds and sea grasses. The jaws and the angle of the teeth resemble a backhoe bucket. Its bulky body was well adapted for swimming and underwater foraging, but not for extended deep-sea living or deep diving. Like the modern-day seal, Paleoparadoxia probably came on shore for breeding and basking in the sun… (read more: Wikipedia)

(image by Nobu Tamura)

Wolf has a great great great great greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaate grandfather.  And he was a paradox.  Cool.

# animals are cool nature is stranger than fiction AUs and OCs

Reblogged 1 year ago from rhamphotheca 17 notes