Two groups of whales evolved massive heads for different reasons
Bowhead and right whales are among the biggest animals alive today, but a new look at how they evolved suggests that the two groups ballooned in size independently of each other, and probably for different reasons
By Jake Buehler
A bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) successful the Sea of Okhotsk, Russia Tony Wu / naturepl.com
Bowhead and close whales are among the biggest animals live today, but a caller look astatine however they evolved suggests that these 2 intimately related groups ballooned successful size independently, and astir apt for antithetic reasons.
Both are balaenids, a benignant of baleen whale (a classification that includes the gigantic bluish whale), but they aren’t shaped similar different baleens. They person stocky bodies and immense heads that tin instrumentality up a 3rd of their assemblage length, and their mouths are …
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