New Fossil Whale: <i>Balaenoptera bertae</i> (IMAGE)

University of Otago

New Fossil Whale: <i>Balaenoptera bertae</i>

Caption

A speculative life rendering of the fossil whale Balaenoptera bertae unearthed in the San Francisco Bay Area. The whale belongs within the same genus as minke and fin whales, indicating that the Balaenoptera lineage has lasted for 3-4 million years. Balaenoptera bertae would have been approximately 5-6 meters in length, slightly smaller than modern minke whales. It was named by University of Otago Ph.D. student Robert Boessenecker in honor of San Diego State University's Professor Annalisa Berta.

Credit

Robert Boessenecker

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Image must be credited to Robert Boessenecker

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