Whale, Dolphin & Seal Fossils
Whale (Cetacean) Vertebra. From North Carolina, U.S.A. These are found along with Megalodon and Mako teeth in the same locations and make a good companion fossil. In life the Megalodon would have preyed on Whales, and this is evidence in the rib fossils that are found with shark tooth bite marks. Artwork by Nobu Tamura.
Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals. They are an informal grouping within the infra-order Cetacea, usually excluding dolphins and porpoises. Whales, dolphins and porpoises belong to the order Cetartiodactyla with even-toed ungulates and their closest living relatives are the hippopotamuses, having diverged about 40 million years ago. The two parvorders of whales, baleen whales (Mysticeti) and toothed whales (Odontoceti), are thought to have split apart around 34 million years ago.
Dolphin & Seal fossils from USA & NORTH SEA
Various Dolphin fossils from North Carolina, USA (Miocene age) and the North Sea (Pleistocene age). Species are Delphinus sp (USA). The North Sea species are likely from Phocoena, Tursiops and Delphinapterus sp (North Sea).
Seal fossils are likely to be Pagophilus and Halichoerus sp. These are from the North Sea. All the fossils from there are found by Fishermen as they trawl across the area known as Doggerland/Brown Bank, between the coast of Holland and Eastern UK.
Manatee Teeth from Florida, USA
Manatee molar teeth. Trichechus manatus. From North Florida, USA. These are Pleistocene age. American/West Indian Manatee. Despite being called Sea-Cows, they are actually relatives to Elephants. Their slow, cumbersome antics are where they were referred to as "sea-cows".
