The first thing to notice on this evogram is that hippos are the closest living relatives of whales, but they are not the ancestors of whales. In fact, none of the individual animals on the evogram is the direct …

Significance: Basilosaurus marks a late stage in whale evolution. It was fully aquatic and had very small, non-functional hind limbs. These vestigial limbs, although no longer useful, are important evidence of …

This family tree shows how the ancestors of whales moved gradually from land to sea. Early whales took advantage of abundant marine resources, feeding on the ocean's fish, squid and other larger food.

Culture and social networks have played a large role in the evolution of modern cetaceans, as concluded in studies showing dolphins preferring mates with the same socially learned behaviors, …

Understand how whales have evolved from the past and learn about the ancestors of the modern whale. Discover how whales have changed over time and see a timeline.

Aug 1, 2025 · Whales’ kidneys adapted to deal with saltwater, their lungs evolved to exchange gases rapidly during brief surface visits, and their echolocation abilities began to emerge. In a remarkably …

To illustrate evolutionary history it is often useful to draw a tree diagram known as a cladogram, which shows the times at which various species diverged from each other. This diagram makes it clear that …

Among the toothed whales, several families — close related groups of species — have evolved, each with distinct behavior and geographic distribution. Each of these families will be discussed at greater …

The ancestors of whales were fur-covered land mammals that rarely entered the water, whereas whales today are fully aquatic and thrive in the oceans, seas, and— in some instances—great rivers of the …

Complete Whale Fossil Chart O B, D