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Comment by vimy

Not exactly what you’re asking but whales used to be land mammals.

> It is believed that modern-day whales evolved from land-based animals about 55 million years ago. These land-based mammals are believed to be hoofed mammals, sharing a common ancestry with even-toed ungulates such as the cow and the deer.

> Evolution of Whales Whales started their journey as all other organisms have, as single-celled bacteria.

An evolutionary picture of the whales can be broken down as follows:

- 3.8 billion years ago: The first single-celled organisms appeared (Bacteria)

- 3 billion years ago: Viruses (also single-celled organisms) became present

- 2 billion years ago: Eukaryotic cells are present. These are cells that contain organelles, or tiny organ-like structures

- 1.5 billion years ago: Eukaryotic cells evolved three ways. These cells evolved into the ancestors of plants, animals, and fungi

- 900 million years ago: The first multicellular structures became present

- 800 million years ago: The animal strain of organisms undergoes its first split and continues into basic marine organisms such as sponges

- 540 million years ago: The first chordates or animals with backbones are present

- 530 million years ago: The first true vertebrate or boned organism is present

- 500 million years ago: Animals first started exploring the land

- 417 million years ago: Lungfish became present. Lungfish are the first organisms to breathe both on land and in the water with both lungs and gills

- 397 million years ago: The first tetrapods or four-legged species are present

- 340 million years ago: Amphibians branch off from the other tetrapods

- 310 million years ago: The remaining tetrapods split into what will be reptiles, birds and dinosaurs, and mammals

- 200 million years ago: A mass extinction occurred and warm-blooded proto-mammals developed

- 140 million years ago: Placental mammals also known as eutherians are present

- 105-85 million years ago: The placental mammals split into four major groups, including laurasiatheres, which will contain the whale species.

- 65 million years ago: The greatest extinction event so far wipes out the dinosaurs providing more potential for mammals to colonize the planet

- 50 million years ago: Artiodactyls pakicitus, a mammal, resembling a wolf and tapir mix with cloven hooves begins evolving into what we know as whales

- 47 million years ago: Early forms of whales live in shallow seas, returning to land to mate and give birth

- 35-45 million years ago: The first fully aquatic whale is present (Basilosaurus)

Modern-day whales are believed to have moved into the oceans around the Tethys Sea, now the Mediterranean Sea and Asia.

https://northamericannature.com/how-did-whales-evolve/

parent vimy 4 years ago

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