WELLINGTON
Paleontologists have identified a new species of ancient whale after a 25-million-year-old fossil was discovered on an Australian beach.
The creature, named Janjucetus dullardi, had bulging eyes the size of tennis balls, a shark-like snout, and sharp teeth, giving it a cartoonish, Pokémon-like appearance. Unlike modern whales, the juvenile specimen was small enough to fit in a single bed, yet its formidable jaws marked it as a skilled predator.
The partial skull, including ear bones and teeth, was uncovered in 2019 at Jan Juc Beach in Victoria, a site famous for unusual whale fossils. Janjucetus dullardi belongs to the mammalodontid group, early whales that lived only during the Oligocene Epoch, roughly 34 to 23 million years ago. The species likely grew up to three meters in length and represents an early branch of whales that eventually gave rise to today’s baleen giants, such as humpbacks, blues, and minkes.
“Deceptively cute, yet clearly built to hunt,” said Erich Fitzgerald, senior curator at Museums Victoria Research Institute. The discovery offers a rare glimpse into ancient whale evolution, but more complete fossils are needed to fully understand its anatomy and behavior.
The species was named after Ross Dullard, an amateur fossil hunter who discovered the skull protruding from a cliff during a low-tide walk. “It’s literally been the greatest 24 hours of my life,” he said. The fossil’s confirmation marked the first mammalodontid identified in Australia since 2006 and only the third on record in the country.
Fossil finds of this quality are rare, as millions of years of erosion, scavengers, and ocean currents destroy most whale skeletons. Researchers hope studying Janjucetus dullardi will shed light on how prehistoric whales ate, moved, and adapted to changing oceans, offering insights relevant to modern marine life and climate change.
Dullard plans to celebrate with a fossil-themed party, featuring whale-shaped treats and games, finally putting to rest six years of anticipation and obsession. The discovery underlines the value of amateur paleontology and the surprises still hidden in fossil-rich coastlines.