Whales (cetaceans, including dolphins and porpoises) are superbly adapted to life in water,
but retain vestiges of their terrestrial ancestry, particularly the need to breathe air. Their …

Recent research on mysticete fossils from the Late Eocene and Oligocene has
revolutionised our understanding of the diversity and evolutionary scenarios for early baleen …

Flowers are the complex and highly diverse reproductive structures of angiosperms.
Because of their role in sexual reproduction, the evolution of flowers is tightly linked to …

Within mammals, different reproductive strategies (eg, egg laying, live birth of extremely
underdeveloped young, and live birth of well-developed young) have been linked to …

Baleen whales (Mysticeti) are gigantic filter-feeding cetaceans possessing the unique soft
tissue structure baleen and lacking adult teeth; Oligocene fossils have revealed a wealth of …

Adaptive landscapes are central to evolutionary theory, forming a conceptual bridge
between micro-and macroevolution. 1, 2, 3, 4 Evolution by natural selection across an …

The spectacular variation in species forms and richness across space and time can be
explored using sophisticated and powerful tools recently developed by evolutionary …

The placental skull has evolved into myriad forms, from longirostrine whales to globular
primates, and with a diverse array of appendages from antlers to tusks. This disparity has …

Toothed whales (odontocetes) emit high-frequency underwater sounds (echolocate)—an
extreme and unique innovation allowing them to sense their prey and environment. Their …

Extant baleen whales (Mysticeti) uniquely use keratinous baleen for filter-feeding and lack
dentition, but the fossil record clearly shows that" toothed" baleen whales first appeared in …