The Walking Whales

From Land to Water in Eight Million Years

J. G. M. “Hans” Thewissen with illustrations by Jacqueline Dillard

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Thewissen, J. G. M., author. The walking whales : from land to water in eight million years / J.G.M. Thewissen ; with illustrations by Jacqueline Dillard. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn 978-0-520-27706-9 (cloth : alk. paper)— isbn 978-0-520-95941-5 (e-book) 1. Whales, Fossil—Pakistan. 2. Whales, Fossil—India. 3. Whales—Evolution. 4. Paleontology—Pakistan. 5. Paleontology—India. I. Title. QE882.C5T484 2015 569′.5—dc23 2014003531

Printed in China 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of ansi/niso z39.48–1992 (r 2002) (Permanence of Paper).

Cover illustration (clockwise from top right): Basilosaurus, Ambulocetus, Indohyus, Pakicetus, and Kutchicetus. These are the animals that show that whales once had land-living ancestors. The background of this painting is a composite: these animals did not live in the same habitat or the at the same time. This book is dedicated to all the students, postdocs, fossil preparators, and technicians who worked in my lab and made this journey scientifi cally exciting as well as fun, in chronological order: Sandy, Ellen, Tony, Mary, Lauren, Mary Elizabeth, Amy, Lisa, Brooke, Sirpa, Rick, Bobbi Jo, Meghan, Sharon, Jenny, Denise, Summer, and Ashley. And it is dedicated to Elizabeth, for her encouragement. And it is dedicated to my mother, who supported everything I did enthusiastically.