Cetacean Evolution (Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises)
Evidence Of Common Ancestry of Cetaceans and Certain Species of Land Mammals
by Edward T. Babinski
Images Courtesy of Professor J.G.M. Thewissen


Dolphin Hind Limbs

TOKYO Nov 5, 2006 (AP), Japanese scientists reported a bottlenose dolphin, has an extra set of fins that could be the remains of hind limbs. The dolphin was captured alive in western Japan on Oct. 28, by Fishermen. "I believe the fins may be remains from the time when dolphins' ancient ancestors lived on land," said Seiji Osumi, of Tokyo's Institute of Cetacean Research. The hind fins are much smaller than the front fins and are about the size of human hands, protruding near the tail. The dolphin measured approx 9 feet in length.

  • Dolphin May Have 'Remains' of Legs, Evidence Ocean Mammals Lived on Land
  • A Dolphin with Hind Limbs, Science Blogs
  • Dolphin May Have 'Remains' of Legs, Associated Press
  • Answers In Genesis Response to Dolphin Hind Limb Discovery
  • Response to AiG's Response on Dolphin Hind Limbs

    • Dolphin Hind Limbs

    Japan's Four-Fin Dolphin Discovery
    Vestigial Limb Remains Vestigial Limb Remains Vestigial Limb Remains
    Vestigial Limb Remains Vestigial Limb Remains Vestigial Limb Remains
    Vestigial Limb Remains Vestigial Limb Remains Vestigial Limb Remains
    Vestigial Limb Remains

    Cetacean Evolution - Hind Limb Bud Images, Dolphin Embryo and Fetus Development

    From: Professor J.G.M. Thewissen
    To: Edward T. Babinski
    Subject: dolphin hind limbs
    Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006

    Mr. Babinski, I thought that you might be interested in this article.

    J.G.M. Thewissen

    2006ThewissenEtAlPNAS.pdf

    From: Edward T. Babinski
    To: J.G.M. Thewissen
    Date: Tuesday, July 18, 2006
    Subject: RE: dolphin hind limbs
    Cc: gingeric umich.edu

    VERY interesting! THANKS very much for remembering to send me a copy! What a fine new article on how Cetacean embryo hind limbs develop in the womb and then disappear. Handy photos too! Now how can we get such photos shown to every creationist on earth, especially the folks at "Answers in Genesis?"

    I think that perhaps the folks at Talk Origins Archive, The Panda's Thumb website/blog and also the editor of Discover magazine and his Corante blog might like to see those photos and read the article as well, since they keep up with the latest evidence there and debate creationists. Not to mention the "No Answers in Genesis" website.

    Will your article soon be on your whale evolution website soon so people can read it, view the photos and link to it? It needs to be. The world needs to know, and to see!

    Wikipedia features links to your whale evolution website, but I do not see a link to Gingerich's university website.
    See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_of_cetaceans

    I seem to recall Wikipedia as linking to the photos of hind limbs of modern day cetaceans that are at edwardtbabinski.us but I no longer see the link listed.

    From: J.G.M. Thewissen
    To: Edward T. Babinski
    Subject: Re: RE: dolphin hind limbs
    Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2006

    Ed, sorry, I cannot make the article available on my website, because PNAS has copyrighted it. What I can do is send you some images of embryos with hind limbs, which you are welcome to post or distribute to whomever you want to send them to as long as the caption credits me.

    Interested?

    J.G.M. Thewissen

    From: Edward T. Babinski
    Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2006
    Subject: Re: RE: dolphin hind limbs
    To: J.G.M. Thewissen

    Great!!!!! Send photos!

    Don't whale embryos also have hair that is reabsorbed later during development? I don't have any photos of that.

    And Baleen whale embryos have teeth that later are reabsorbed and then baleen develops, right? Would love to have some photos of that too!

    And if you hear (or rather see) any new photos of adult whales or dolphins with hind limb rudiments, please let me know! Or I guess I should stay posted to your website. The public is tremendously ignorant of such evidence. Though it's a good sign that creationists once used to cite the evolution of whales in their debates as the supreme example of something for which evolution could NEVER account. Today the example they cite the most are bats, since the fossil record remains sparse there.

    From: J.G.M. Thewissen
    To: Edward T. Babinski
    Subject: Re: RE: dolphin hind limbs
    Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2006

    Ed, you are right about all your statements about cetaceans.
    At this point, I only have embryos for one species, Pantropical Spotted Dolphin. Those have about 10 hairs on either side of the face as an early fetus. Baleen whales have many more (even as newborns), and I am getting fetuses for those, but don't have them yet. Yes, you are right that (some?) baleen whales also have teeth that do not erupt, I have never seen good photographs of them, but there are some drawings in old papers. That too, I hope to get good ones when I get the mysticete embryos.
    Attached are a couple of figures which you may post on your website or share with others. I do want to retain the copyright to them, so please say that in the caption, and eventually will also post them on mine or publish them in print.

    J.G.M. Thewissen

    Images to accompany the article by J.G.M. Thewissen and co-authors on hind limb development in dolphins

    Photo with Blue Background:

    An embryo of a Spotted Dolphin in the fifth week of development. The hind limbs are present as small bumps (hind limb buds) near the base of the tail. The pin is approximately 1 inch long.

    dolphin embryo limbs

    dolphin embryo limbs

    Photo with the White Background:

    Four fetuses of the Spotted Dolphin. Chemicals were used to make these fetuses transparent, and then dyes stained the bones purple and the cartilage blue. The ages of these fetuses range from 1.5 to 4 month of development and the largest fetuses is 218 mm (approximately 5.5') long. Note that in all four fetuses there is a small pelvis (blue bar underneath the tail. Preparation by Dr. Sirpa Nummela.

    dolphin hind limb buds

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    Answers in Genesis' Response on Evidence for Whale Evolution Dr. Sarfati's response to a simple request to examine the evidence of hind limb rudiments on modern day whales.

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    Cetacean Evolution (Whales, Porpoises, Dolphins)

    The Fighting Natans

    RECOMMENDED READING

    The Emergence of Whales, J.G.M. Thewissen, PhD
    The Emergence of Whales    , Evolutionary Patterns in the Origin of Cetacea (Advances in Vertebrate Paleobiology) (Hardcover)
    by J. G. M. Thewissen (Editor)

    Review from Journal of Mammology, August 6, 2002
    Reviewer: Jasmine Benzvi (New York, NY)
    'Up to now, a 'state of the art' summary of research on whale origins has not been available. This book admirably fills that void and should be added to the library of any serious mammologist or paleomammalogist.'
    - by Annalisa Berta

    Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals
    Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals     (Hardcover)
    by William F. Perrin (Editor), Bernd Wursig (Editor), J.G.M. Thewissen (Editor)

  • "This impressive reference would make an excellent addition to any library..."-ENCYCLOPEDIA OF DINOSAURS AND VOLCANOES (February 2003)
  • "Very highly recommended for students, professionals, researchers and lay people with an interest in marine mammals." WILDLIFE ACTIVIST (Fall 2002)
  • "...an excellent resource for beginning research. ...This encyclopedia is very highly recommended for all academic and larger public libraries." Teresa Bowden, Villanova University Falvey Memorial Library for E-STREAMS (September 2002)
  • "...students beginning postgraduate study on marine mammals and researchers and academics working on marine mammals will find it indispensable."

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    Article last updated July 27, 2006
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