Evolution of Whales
Storyboard Text
- The Beginning (50 million years ago)
- I am a land animal!
- As time goes on..
- I am thirsty. Let me drink some water.
- Adaptation
- I can not breathe in these waters!
- The first species of whales, Pakicetus, had long skulls and big teeth. It had legs and feet and were land animals.
- Similarities
- I need to know how to swim comfortably
- Another whale species, Ambulocetus, had shorter legs and their hands and feet were more “paddle-like”. They drank from fresh water and sea water.
- Physical change
- I can move forward more easily now!
- They stuck with sea water, however, their nostrils had to evolve and ,ove more up their snout. This later created the “blowhole” that’s on top of their heads in order for them to breathe.
- Final population
- Whales’ tails are horizontal, not vertical. Unlike most fish, they have to move them up and down instead of back and forth in order to swim. This is because, as land animals, their backbones were used to moving up and down.
- Their skeletal changes, such as their elbow joints locking together, were used for swimming forward and resisting the incoming water.
- The whales adapted to the water and became what they are now: sea animals!
- Let’s go find fish!
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