The evolution of cetaceans (whales and dolphins) represents one of the most extreme
adaptive transitions known, from terrestrial mammals to a highly specialized aquatic …

Secondary transitions to aquatic environments are common among vertebrates, and aquatic
lineages display several adaptations to this realm, some of which might make these …

Baleen whales (Mysticeti) are the largest animals on Earth, thanks to their ability to filter
huge volumes of small prey from seawater. Mysticetes appeared during the Late Eocene …

Teeth are the primary tool used by most mammals to capture and process food. Over the
lifetime of an individual, they progressively wear through contact with each other (attrition) …

Background Unlike most mammals, toothed whale (Odontoceti) skulls lack symmetry in the
nasal and facial (nasofacial) region. This asymmetry is hypothesised to relate to …

Marine mammals are key components of aquatic ecosystems. Feeding strategies identified
in extant cetaceans, pinnipeds, sirenians, marine otters, and polar bears are associated with …

ABSTRACT Mystacodon selenensis Lambert, Martínez-Cáceres, Bianucci, Di Celma, Salas-
Gismondi, Steurbaut, Urbina & Muizon, 2017 is a toothed mysticete that represents the …

Toothed whales (odontocetes) emit high-frequency underwater sounds (echolocate)—an
extreme and unique innovation allowing them to sense their prey and environment. Their …

Marine mammals have undergone a dramatic series of morphological transformations
throughout their evolutionary history that facilitated their ecological transition to life in the …

Streamlined flippers are often considered the defining feature of seals and sea lions, whose
very name 'pinniped'comes from the Latin pinna and pedis, meaning 'fin-footed'. Yet not all …