scientist in Egypt Identified an unknown species of four-legged whale that lived 43 million years ago.
amphibian fossils pheomycetus aubis It was originally discovered in the Western Desert of Egypt.
His skull resembles that of the ancient Egyptian god Anubis, whose head is the jackal-god of the dead, as he was named.
The ancestors of modern whales evolved from land mammals such as deer that lived on land for 10 million years.
Weight of about 600 kg and 3 m tall, pheomycetus aubis According to the study published by “Proceedings of the Royal Society B” on Wednesday (25), its jaws were strong enough to capture its prey. The whale was able to walk on land and swim in water.
His partial skeleton was found in the Fayum Depression in Egypt and analyzed by scientists from the University of Mansoura. Although the area is now deserted, it was once covered by sea and is a rich source of fossils.
“O pheomycetus aubis This is a new species of whale and a major discovery for Egyptian and African paleontology,” study author Abdullah Gohar told Reuters news agency.
Although this is not the first time a fossil of a one-legged whale has been found, it is believed that pheomycetus aubis The oldest type of semi-aquatic whale discovered in Africa.
The first whales are believed to have evolved in South Asia about 50 million years ago. In 2011, a team of paleontologists in Peru discovered a 43-million-year-old whale fossil with four legs, webbed feet and hooves.
