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Pygmy Right Whales
The pygmy right whale (''Caperea marginata'') is a species of baleen whale. It may be a member of the cetotheres, a family of baleen whales which until 2012 were thought to be extinct; ''C. marginata'' has otherwise been considered the monotypic taxon, sole member of the family (biology), family Neobalaenidae and is the only member of the genus ''Caperea''. First described by John Edward Gray in 1846, it is the smallest of the baleen whales, ranging between in length and in mass. Despite its name, the pygmy right whale may have more in common with the gray whale and rorquals than the bowhead whale, bowhead and right whales. The pygmy right whale is found in temperate waters of the Southern Hemisphere, and feeds on copepods and euphausiids. Little is known about its population or social habits. Unlike most other baleen whales, it has rarely been subject to exploitation. Taxonomy During the 1839-45 voyage of James Clark Ross, naturalists found bones and baleen plates resembl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Late Miocene
The Late Miocene (also known as Upper Miocene) is a sub-epoch of the Miocene epoch (geology), Epoch made up of two faunal stage, stages. The Tortonian and Messinian stages comprise the Late Miocene sub-epoch, which lasted from 11.63 Ma (million years ago) to 5.333 Ma. The evolution of ''Homo'' The gibbons (family Hylobatidae) and orangutans (genus ''Pongo'') were the first groups to split from the line leading to the hominins, including humans, then gorillas (genus ''Gorilla''), and finally chimpanzees and bonobos (genus ''Pan (genus), Pan''). The splitting date between hominin and chimpanzee lineages is placed by some between 4 and 8 million years ago, that is, during the Late Miocene. References External links GeoWhen Database - Late Miocene Miocene, .03 Miocene geochronology, 03 Messinian, * Tortonian, * {{geochronology-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Clark Ross
Sir James Clark Ross (15 April 1800 – 3 April 1862) was a British Royal Navy officer and explorer of both the northern and southern polar regions. In the Arctic, he participated in two expeditions led by his uncle, Sir John Ross, John Ross, and in four led by Sir William Parry, William Edward Parry: in the Antarctic, he led Ross expedition, his own expedition from 1839 to 1843. Biography Early life Ross was born in London, the son of George Ross and nephew of Sir John Ross, John Ross, under whom he entered the Royal Navy on 5 April 1812. Ross was an active participant in the Napoleonic Wars, being present at an action where HMS Briseis (1808), HMS ''Briseis'', commanded by his uncle, captured ''Le Petit Poucet'' (a French privateer) on 9 October 1812. Ross then served successively with his uncle on HMS Acteon (1805), HMS ''Actaeon'' and HMS Driver (1840), HMS ''Driver''. Arctic exploration Ross participated in John's unsuccessful first Arctic voyage in search o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fluke (tail)
A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. Fins are also used to increase surface areas for heat transfer purposes, or simply as ornamentation. Fins first evolved on fish as a means of locomotion. Fish fins are used to generate thrust and control the subsequent motion. Fish and other aquatic animals, such as cetaceans, actively propel and steer themselves with pectoral and tail fins. As they swim, they use other fins, such as dorsal and anal fins, to achieve stability and refine their maneuvering.Helfman G, Collette BB, Facey DE and Bowen BW (2009"Functional morphology of locomotion and feeding" Chapter 8, pp. 101–116. In:''The Diversity of Fishes: Biology'', John Wiley & Sons. . The fins on the tails of cetaceans, ichthyosaurs, metriorhynchids, mosasaurs and plesiosaurs are cal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dorsal Fin
A dorsal fin is a fin on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates. Dorsal fins have evolved independently several times through convergent evolution adapting to marine environments, so the fins are not all homologous. They are found in most fish, in mammals such as whales, and in extinct ancient marine reptiles such as ichthyosaurs. Most have only one dorsal fin, but some have two or three. Wildlife biologists often use the distinctive nicks and wear patterns which develop on the dorsal fins of whales to identify individuals in the field. The bones or cartilages that support the dorsal fin in fish are called pterygiophores. Functions The main purpose of the dorsal fin is usually to stabilize the animal against rolling and to assist in sudden turns. Some species have further adapted their dorsal fins to other uses. The sunfish uses the dorsal fin (and the anal fin Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to ge ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Callosity
A callosity is a type of callus, a piece of skin that has become thickened as a result of repeated contact and friction. Primates All Old World monkeys, gibbons, and some chimpanzees have pads on their rears known as ''ischium, ischial callosities''. The pads enable the monkeys to sleep sitting upright on thin branches, beyond reach of predators, without falling. Humans do not possess ischial callosities due to the gluteal muscles being large enough to provide the same cushioning. The ischial callosities are one of the most distinctive pelvic features which separates Old World monkeys from New World monkeys. Right whales In whales, callosities are rough, calcified skin patches found on the heads of the three species of right whales. Callosities are a characteristic feature of the whale genus ''Eubalaena''. Because they are found on the head of the whale and appear white against the dark background of the whale's skin, they allow the reliable identification of individuals ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Antarctic Minke Whale
The Antarctic minke whale or southern minke whale (''Balaenoptera bonaerensis'') is a species of minke whale within the suborder of baleen whales. It is the second smallest rorqual after the common minke whale and the third smallest baleen whale. Although first scientifically described in the mid-19th century, it was not recognized as a distinct species until the 1990s. Once ignored by the whaling industry due to its small size and low oil yield, the Antarctic minke was able to avoid the fate of other baleen whales and maintained a large population into the 21st century, numbering in the hundreds of thousands.Branch, T. A. (2006). "Abundance estimates for Antarctic minke whales from three completed circumpolar sets of surveys, 1978/79 to 2003/04". ''Paper'' SC/58/IA18 ''submitted to the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee'', pp. 1–28. Surviving to become the most abundant baleen whale in the world, it is now one of the mainstays of the industry alongside its co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dwarf Minke Whale
The common minke whale or northern minke whale (''Balaenoptera acutorostrata'') is a species of minke whale within the suborder of baleen whales. It is the smallest species of the rorquals and the second smallest species of baleen whale. Although first ignored by whalers due to its small size and low oil yield, it began to be exploited by various countries beginning in the early 20th century. As other species declined, larger numbers of common minke whales were caught, largely for their meat. It is now one of the primary targets of the whaling industry. There is a dwarf form in the Southern Hemisphere. This species is known in the fossil record from the Pliocene epoch to the Quaternary period (age range: 3.6 million years ago to present day). Vernacular names The origins of the species' common name are obscure. One of the first references to the name came in Henrik Johan Bull's account of his 1893–95 voyage to the Antarctic, when he mentioned catching a small whale "calle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stanley, Tasmania
Stanley is a town on the north-west coast of Tasmania, Australia. It is the second-last major township on the north-west coast when one travels west from Devonport, the larger township in the Circular Head municipality being Smithton. According to the , Stanley had a population of 595. History In 1825 the Van Diemen's Land Company was granted land in north-western Van Diemen's Land, including the Stanley area. Employees of the company from England settled in the area in October 1826. The site (originally called Circular Head) was named after Lord Stanley, the British Secretary of State for War and the Colonies in the 1830s and 1840s, who later had three terms of office as British Prime Minister. A port opened in 1827 and the first school opened in 1841. There was a short-lived bay whaling station in operation on the foreshore in the 1830s. Stanley officially became a town in 1842 and by 1843 more than 8,000 acres had been sold or leased to almost 70 people. The Post Off ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cloudy Bay (Tasmania)
Cloudy Bay is located at the southernmost end of Bruny Island in the Australian state of Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ..., inside South Bruny National Park. Shore-based whaling stations operated in the bay in the 1830s. The bay consists of a 5 kilometre long beach which at one end, facilitates surfing and, at the other, a camping location with toilet facilities. located on West side of cloudy bay lagoon sits Jazz island, nment Cloudy Bay is part of the Cloudy Bay Marine Conservation Area, known for its seagrass and shallow sediment microalgae which support diverse marine life. Gallery Image:CloudyBay001.jpg, Looking from the camping location, Cloudy Bay is a quiet and peaceful beach with calm waters and slowly levelling sands. Image:CloudyB ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caperea Marginata 3
The pygmy right whale (''Caperea marginata'') is a species of baleen whale. It may be a member of the cetotheres, a family of baleen whales which until 2012 were thought to be extinct; ''C. marginata'' has otherwise been considered the sole member of the family Neobalaenidae and is the only member of the genus ''Caperea''. First described by John Edward Gray in 1846, it is the smallest of the baleen whales, ranging between in length and in mass. Despite its name, the pygmy right whale may have more in common with the gray whale and rorquals than the bowhead and right whales. The pygmy right whale is found in temperate waters of the Southern Hemisphere, and feeds on copepods and euphausiids. Little is known about its population or social habits. Unlike most other baleen whales, it has rarely been subject to exploitation. Taxonomy During the 1839-45 voyage of James Clark Ross, naturalists found bones and baleen plates resembling a smaller version of the right whale. In h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Messinian
The Messinian is in the geologic timescale the last age or uppermost stage of the Miocene. It spans the time between 7.246 ± 0.005 Ma and 5.333 ± 0.005 Ma (million years ago). It follows the Tortonian and is followed by the Zanclean, the first age of the Pliocene. The Messinian overlaps the Turolian European Land Mammal Mega Zone (more precisely MN 12 and 13) and the Pontian Central European Paratethys Stage. It also overlaps the late Huayquerian and early Montehermosan South American Land Mammal Ages, and falls inside the more extensive Hemphillian North American Land Mammal Age. During the Messinian, around 6 million years ago, the Messinian salinity crisis took place, which brought about repeated desiccations of the Mediterranean Sea. Definition The Messinian was introduced by Swiss stratigrapher Karl Mayer-Eymar in 1867. Its name comes from the Italian city of Messina on Sicily, where the Messinian evaporite deposit is of the same age. The base of the Messinian ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miocaperea Pulchra
''Miocaperea'' is an extinct genus of pygmy right whale from the Late Miocene Pisco Formation of Peru.''Miocaperea'' at .org Its type species is ''Miocaperea pulchra''. Evolution and significance The discovery of ''Miocaperea'' is significant, because neobalaenines were previously unknown in the fossil record, except for an isolated petrosal (ear bone) from late Miocene-aged deposits in . A previous study plac ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
