Comments on: Everyone back in the pool!: From artiodactyl to cetacean http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/ "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it." - Terry Pratchett Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:46:40 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Cephalopodcast.com - The Ocean Podcast http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14726 Cephalopodcast.com - The Ocean Podcast Mon, 03 Sep 2007 13:03:21 +0000 http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14726 [...] include whale evolution, homeless hermit crabs, 10,000 birds, and a sea squirt diaspora, among many [...] [...] include whale evolution, homeless hermit crabs, 10,000 birds, and a sea squirt diaspora, among many [...]

]]> By: Mike http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14637 Mike Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:19:12 +0000 http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14637 A well researched and insightful article. So pleased that you featured Ambulocetus, I was fascinated when I read about the fossils found in Pakistan; although showing significant adaptations to an aquatic lifestyle I always thought that Ambulocetus was more of an ambush predator adopting a hunting strategy similar to crocodilians. The remains of this animal have been found in estaurine sediments, so I assume the water was relatively cloudy. With the modified jawbone acting as a sounding board to pick up vibrations of approaching prey, could Ambulocetus have submerged itself at the water's edge and then ambushed animals as they came to drink. The long jaws and powerful neck muscles seem appropriate adaptations for this type of predatory lifestyle. A well researched and insightful article. So pleased that you featured Ambulocetus, I was fascinated when I read about the fossils found in Pakistan; although showing significant adaptations to an aquatic lifestyle I always thought that Ambulocetus was more of an ambush predator adopting a hunting strategy similar to crocodilians. The remains of this animal have been found in estaurine sediments, so I assume the water was relatively cloudy. With the modified jawbone acting as a sounding board to pick up vibrations of approaching prey, could Ambulocetus have submerged itself at the water’s edge and then ambushed animals as they came to drink. The long jaws and powerful neck muscles seem appropriate adaptations for this type of predatory lifestyle.

]]> By: Berlinksi, whales, and why Intelligent Design can’t get no respect « The Bad Idea Blog http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14566 Berlinksi, whales, and why Intelligent Design can’t get no respect « The Bad Idea Blog Thu, 30 Aug 2007 03:34:01 +0000 http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14566 [...] and want to actually, well, learn something about whales and their family tree, check out this tour de force post on the evolution of locomotion methods, covering the everything from the early lobed-fishes all the way down to the glorious cetaceans. [...] [...] and want to actually, well, learn something about whales and their family tree, check out this tour de force post on the evolution of locomotion methods, covering the everything from the early lobed-fishes all the way down to the glorious cetaceans. [...]

]]> By: johannes http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14452 johannes Mon, 27 Aug 2007 10:48:21 +0000 http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14452 Nice post, carnivorous ungulates like pakicetids, mesonychids and entelodonts have always fascinated me (the fascination becomes shivering awe if it's Daeodon). I am rather sceptical about the existence of a parasagittal gait in non-therian mammals or mammaliforms, however. For my best wisdom, all the non-therian mammals or other mammaliforms in the fossil record are sprawlers - but who knows what will come out of China tomorrow? So I would place the emergence of a parasagittal gait in cynodonts at the Jurassic/Cretaceous rather than at the Permian/Triassic transition. See also Kielan - Jaworowska/Hurum: http://www.app.pan.pl/acta51/app51-393.pdf (the multi pictured in ready-to-attack stance is extremely cute) This said, *Castorcauda* - a docodont - is obviously a horizontally oriented swimmer despite being a sprawly, and * Potamogale*, an afrothere (?) with a parasagittal gait, is a vertically oriented swimmer. Sometimes nature can be very confusing. Nice post, carnivorous ungulates like pakicetids, mesonychids and entelodonts have always fascinated me (the fascination becomes shivering awe if it’s Daeodon).

I am rather sceptical about the existence of a parasagittal gait in non-therian mammals or mammaliforms, however. For my best wisdom, all the non-therian mammals or other mammaliforms in the fossil record are sprawlers – but who knows what will come out of China tomorrow? So I would place the emergence of a parasagittal gait in cynodonts at the Jurassic/Cretaceous rather than at the Permian/Triassic transition. See also Kielan – Jaworowska/Hurum: http://www.app.pan.pl/acta51/app51-393.pdf (the multi pictured in ready-to-attack stance is extremely cute)

This said, *Castorcauda* – a docodont – is obviously
a horizontally oriented swimmer despite being a sprawly, and * Potamogale*, an afrothere (?) with a parasagittal gait, is a vertically oriented swimmer. Sometimes nature can be very confusing.

]]> By: To the First Whale « microecos http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14362 To the First Whale « microecos Sun, 26 Aug 2007 18:43:19 +0000 http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14362 [...] a.k.a Laelaps has cursored his latest epic, tracing whale evolution from Sarcopterygian to Flipper, or thereabouts. Those looking for a [...] [...] a.k.a Laelaps has cursored his latest epic, tracing whale evolution from Sarcopterygian to Flipper, or thereabouts. Those looking for a [...]

]]> By: CarrerCrytharis http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14344 CarrerCrytharis Sun, 26 Aug 2007 15:57:58 +0000 http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14344 Cetacean evolution is one of my favorite topics. I really enjoyed this article: keep up the good work. Cetacean evolution is one of my favorite topics. I really enjoyed this article: keep up the good work.

]]> By: laelaps http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14343 laelaps Sun, 26 Aug 2007 13:26:06 +0000 http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14343 <I>Thalassocnus</i> certainly was a weird genus, and I wrote something about the 5 known species of it <a href="http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/07/02/the-giant-swimming-sloths-of-south-america/" rel="nofollow">in a post from a few months ago</a>. From what I understand there is still a lot of material from those sites that needs to be investigated, too, so there could very well be more swimming giant sloths that we'll hear about in the near future (I hope). Thalassocnus certainly was a weird genus, and I wrote something about the 5 known species of it in a post from a few months ago. From what I understand there is still a lot of material from those sites that needs to be investigated, too, so there could very well be more swimming giant sloths that we’ll hear about in the near future (I hope).

]]> By: Neil http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14326 Neil Sun, 26 Aug 2007 07:51:01 +0000 http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14326 Hell, I can sleep on the water, just give me an inflatable lounge and a corona. Or some air-trapping fur and an urchin, whatever. <i>Thalassocnus</i> is brilliant! I'll chalk my oversight up to having my back issues of JVP boxed up for the move. I hope everyone has seen <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN1Ws0JSd2U" rel="nofollow">this video</a> of a daring sloth aquanaut foiled by some pesky bored apes. Hell, I can sleep on the water, just give me an inflatable lounge and a corona. Or some air-trapping fur and an urchin, whatever. Thalassocnus is brilliant! I’ll chalk my oversight up to having my back issues of JVP boxed up for the move. I hope everyone has seen this video of a daring sloth aquanaut foiled by some pesky bored apes.

]]> By: Zach Miller http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14323 Zach Miller Sun, 26 Aug 2007 06:23:28 +0000 http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14323 <i>Thalassocnus</i>, I mean...talk about your freak aquatic mammals. Thalassocnus, I mean…talk about your freak aquatic mammals.

]]> By: Christopher Taylor http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14321 Christopher Taylor Sun, 26 Aug 2007 04:58:21 +0000 http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/08/24/everyone-back-in-the-pool-from-artiodactyl-to-cetacean/#comment-14321 Sea otters are still almost entirely aquatic. Heck, they even sleep in the water! The other post-Oligocene marine mammal that I can find mention of is the super-wierd marine sloth <i>Thalassocnus</i>, which is known from the Miocene onwards. Sea otters are still almost entirely aquatic. Heck, they even sleep in the water! The other post-Oligocene marine mammal that I can find mention of is the super-wierd marine sloth Thalassocnus, which is known from the Miocene onwards.

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