A new species of ancient whale, Janjucetus dullardi, has been described from a 25-million-year-old fossil discovered on Victoria's surf coast. The species, which lived during the Oligocene epoch, was about the size of a dolphin and had razor-sharp teeth, large eyes, and a heavily built skull.
Scientists described the whale as 'small and deceptively cute, but definitely not harmless.' Dr Erich Fitzgerald, senior curator of vertebrate palaeontology at Museums Victoria Research Institute, said: 'This was a really gnarly whale that I personally wouldn't want to get in the water with.'
The fossil, which includes a partial skull, ear bone, and eight teeth, was found by local resident Ross Dullard in 2019 while walking along the beach near Jan Juc. Dullard donated the specimen to the museum, and the species was named in his honour.
Janjucetus dullardi is an early offshoot of the baleen whale family, which includes modern blue whales. It was a carnivorous predator, unlike its filter-feeding relatives. The discovery helps scientists understand the evolutionary transition from early carnivorous whales to modern filter feeders.
During the Oligocene, sea temperatures in southern Australia were warmer, and the region was home to a diverse array of marine life, including giant penguins and large sharks. The fossil is now housed at Museums Victoria.
