Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: David on 30/09/2011 13:01:02
-
David asked the Naked Scientists:
Although you are from the other place perhaps you can answer this. So far, no one, world wide, has managed. It should be so easy. I read English, music, law and all that useless stuff.
What are the relative positionings of the actual surface blowhole of whales when compared to the specific location of the nasal orifice(s) in the bone of the skull.
The sperm whale has an interesting anomaly in that its skull has a nasal skull hole in front of the eyes ( similar to the extinct aetiocetus ) leading to a blow hole right at the front of its head (muzzle).
Why did its nasal skull hole not move back to the front of its skull in line with its surface blow hole which presumably having moved back ancestrally, then moved forward as the sperm oil and huge melon structures evolved?
I need a clear diagram showing the position of the nasal orifice in the skulls of different modern whales and if poss the aetiocetus and other protowhales.
I simply cannot find this anywhere in details showing exactly the nasal skull holes compared to the eyes.
What do you think?