mustached whales

From: Pam Carlson <carlsonp_at_gonzo.wolfenet.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 23:19:47 -0800


The sub-order "Mysteceties", (or "mustached whales"), makes a reference to the baleen plates these animals have in their mouths. The other sub-order is "Odontocetes", or "toothed whales".

(Though most whales do have some bristly hair remnants around their mouths.)

Sorry, but all those years of evolution and classification study couldn't be held back. At least I showed remarkable restraint in the salamander discussion.

Oooh! Ooh! Resolve slipping...

The recalcitrant fish types stayed in their squalid muddy pools with their old-fashioned lungs, instead developing fleshy fins that they used to crawl from pool to pool. (Not to mention coming up with a cool ability to build themselves comfy mucus cocoons to bury themselves in mud during droughts!) These lazy fish went on to become amphibians, (literally) spawning a wretched array of mutant fishes that run around on land, most of which have rather poor bouyancy control.

"Who tops who" evolutionarily all depends on your point of view...

Pam


End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #444


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