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Colossal new species may be largest animal that ever existed

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Summary

Scientists have discovered the remains of a previously unknown species of ancient whale, which they have named Perucetus colossus, in a valley in Peru. It is estimated to have grown to about 20m long and weighed up to 340 tonnes, making it potentially the largest animal that ever existed. The discovery challenges the idea that whales grew to such great sizes only in the last three million years, and raises questions about its lifestyle and diet. Further research is needed to determine its size and answer these questions.

Q&As

What is the name of the newly discovered species of ancient whale?
The newly discovered species of ancient whale is called Perucetus colossus.

How long was the newly discovered species of whale estimated to be?
The newly discovered species of whale was estimated to be about 20 m (65.6 ft) long.

How does the size of the newly discovered species of whale compare to that of a blue whale?
The newly discovered species of whale was estimated to be larger than a blue whale, potentially weighing up to 340 tonnes compared to the blue whale's maximum weight of under 200 tonnes.

What does the structure of the bones of the newly discovered species suggest about its lifestyle?
The structure of the bones of the newly discovered species suggests that it had a fully aquatic lifestyle, unlike some early whale relatives that could still crawl out onto land for short stretches of time.

What could further research on the newly discovered species of whale help us to understand?
Further research on the newly discovered species of whale could help us to understand what it ate, as well as give a better estimate of its size.

AI Comments

👍 This new species of whale has incredible implications for our understanding of whale evolution and provides us with a fascinating glimpse into what the Earth was like millions of years ago.

👎 Without a skull, it is difficult to know how this species of whale fit into the food chain or how it interacted with other species.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about a new species of whale that may be the largest animal that ever existed. It's called Perucetus colossus. It's estimated to have been 20 meters long and weighed 340 tonnes.

Friend: Wow! That's incredible. What are the implications of this?

Me: Well, it suggests that whales may have had much larger body sizes than previously thought. It also could indicate that filter-feeding strategies evolved much earlier than previously believed. Additionally, it could point to a fully aquatic lifestyle for whales, rather than semi-aquatic. Finally, it could suggest that ancient whales lived in shallow, coastal waters.

Action items

Research more about whale evolution and the different species of whales.
Visit the Ica Valley in Peru to see the fossils of P. colossus.
Read more about the research published in the journal Nature to learn more about the findings.

Technical terms

Vertebrae: The bones that make up the spine.
Ribs: Bones that form the rib cage and protect the internal organs.
Hip bone: The large bone in the pelvis that connects the leg bones to the spine.
Paleontologists: Scientists who study fossils to learn about ancient life.
Species: A group of organisms that are similar and can breed with each other.
Evolution: The process by which organisms change over time.
Vestigial: Remnants of structures that were once functional but are now reduced or absent.
Filter-feeding: A method of feeding in which an organism filters out food particles from the water.
Baleen whales: A group of whales that use baleen plates to filter out food from the water.
Krill: Small, shrimp-like crustaceans that are a major food source for many marine animals.