Paleontologists identify walrus-like mammal that lived 2 million years ago

By Stephen Beech via SWNS

A new walrus-like mammal that lived in the North Sea two million years ago has been identified.

The now-extinct species, named Ontocetus posti, had a similar "suction feeding" technique to present-day walruses, say paleontologists.

Study leader Dr. Mathieu Boisville uncovered the new species of the extinct genus Ontocetus from Lower Pleistocene deposits in the North Atlantic.

He said that the fossils of Ontocetus posti were discovered in Norwich and Antwerp, Belgium.

Dr. Boisville, of the University of Tsukuba in Japan, said: "These remains were initially thought to belong to another species, Ontocetus emmonsi.

"However, detailed analysis of the mandibles revealed a unique combination of features that distinguish it as a new species.

"These features include the presence of four post-canine teeth, a larger lower canine, and a fused and short mandibular symphysis.

"Such anatomical characteristics suggest that Ontocetus posti was quite well adapted to suction-feeding, somewhat similar to its modern relative, the walrus."

Originating from the North Pacific Ocean, he explained that the Ontocetus genus spread to the Atlantic during the Mio-Pliocene transition.

Dr. Boisville said: "This migration was probably facilitated by the Central American Seaway, a crucial oceanic passage before the closure of the Isthmus of Panama.

"The resulting global cooling starting during the Late Pliocene significantly impacted marine life, contributing to the extinction of Ontocetus posti during the Early Pleistocene and allowing the cold-adapted Odobenus rosmarus to emerge and eventually dominate."

He says the discovery, published in the journal PeerJ Life & Environment, sheds new light on the evolutionary history of walruses.

Dr. Boisville added: "The convergence of feeding adaptations between Ontocetus posti and the modern walrus illustrates the dynamic evolutionary processes that occur across different eras and environments."