Arm Bone Fossil of an Ancient Toothed Whale

Nick Pyenson, curator of fossil marine mammals at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, holds an arm bone from a "toothed" mysticete from Vancouver Island. This is the second specimen found at this locality on the remote western side of Vancouver Island. Nick used a rock saw to cut the fossil out of the hard mudstone for transport, preparation and study at National Museum of Natural History. Read a blog post about his travels to get to the fossils! 

 

A researcher holds an arm bone from a "toothed" mysticete whale from Vancouver Island.
J. A. Goldbogen

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