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Lucky researchers in Peru: skull of a whale ancestor found
STORY: Researcher happiness in Peru: There, scientists presented this skull of a primeval mammal on Thursday. The animal once lived in a prehistoric ocean that covered part of present-day Peru. The scientists assume that the ancient mammal is a Basilosaurus. They belong to the whale family, whose present-day descendants include whales, dolphins and porpoises. Rodolfo Salas, head of the Paleontology Department at the National University of San Marcos: “The discovery is very important because the skull is almost perfectly preserved. The skull and jaw are still in the anatomically correct position, the teeth are complete. It is very likely that the find is a new species of Basilosaurus. If so, this is a find that is unique in the world.” Basilosaurus means “king lizard”, although the animal was not a reptile. The former predator was probably about 12 meters long, which is about the height of a four-story building.
The almost perfectly preserved skull of a primeval mammal was discovered during excavations.