New species of toothed whale discovered

Washington, June 23. – Scientists from the United States have discovered a new species of primitive tooth whale, or toothed whale, that swam along the coast of the North Pacific Ocean about 28 million years ago, according to a specialized journal published today.

Known as Olympicetus thalassodon, it is one of several species that help understand the early history and diversification of modern dolphins, porpoises and other toothed whales, according to a study published in the journal PeerJ Life and Environment.

Olympetus thalassodon and its close relatives display a set of characteristics that truly set them apart from any other group of toothed whales, explained paleontologist Jorge Vélez-Socks of the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.

He stated that the multi-cephalic teeth, symmetrical skulls, and forward position of the nostrils made them seem like intermediates between ancient whales and the dolphins we know better.

The article also describes the remains of two other closely related cetaceans.

All of the fossils were collected from a geological unit called the Pysht Formation, which was uncovered along the coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state and dated between 26.5 and 30.5 million years ago.

The research further revealed that Olympetus and its close relatives belonged to a family called Simocetidae, known so far only from the North Pacific Ocean and one of the oldest divergent groups of toothed whales.