Simocetus rayi : Pug-nosed Whale

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Time Period : Early Oligocene (approximately 33-32 million years ago)Location : United States (Oregon and Washington)Size : Estimated to be around 4 to 5 meters in length Available sizes • Large – 1:20 of the actual size | Normal, Pre-supported and Hollowed versions• Medium– 1:35 of the actual size | Normal, Pre-supported and Hollowed versions Description Simocetus is known from a single fossil, a skull, found in marine siltstone deposits of the Alsea Formation on the banks of Oregon's Yaquina River in 1977 by fossil hunter of the region, Douglas Emlong. It was first named by New Zealand paleontologist Ewan Fordyce in 2002 and contains a single species, S. rayi. He found its teeth and jaw different from any other known whale's, and thought it might have been a bottom feeder that fed by suction on marine invertebrates. Features of the basicranium and face suggest that Simocetus may have had comparable echolocation abilities to modern whales. Additional Details Chitubox file provided if you want to resize the model. Care should be taken when removing supports. Using a heat gun or a blow dryer is highly recommended.