âWhales went through this remarkable transformation to become more like the ancestral fish,â Tabin said.
. Did whales have legs? Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! They were bigger on the left and smaller on the right. 'Hans' Thewissen, Ph.D., a member of the department of anatomy at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in Rootstown, Ohio, holds a two-month old fetus of a spotted... When ancient whales finally parted company with the last remnants of their legs about 35 million years ago, a relatively sudden genetic event may have crowned an eons-long shrinking process. Financial support for ScienceDaily comes from advertisements and referral programs, where indicated. Only now in the last five years are we developing this understanding of how the world of evolution is controlled genetically.". Biology. What did the scientists find when looking at manatee pelvic bones? And while Sonic hedgehog's role in the evolution of hind limbs in ancient whales is becoming apparent, it is still not fully defined. There is sometimes a retention of juvenile features in adulthood. ScienceDaily. As they suggest, there could have been a continual decrease in Sonic as the limbs reduced until the modern version of the animal arrived.". 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Rex Had Huge Growth Spurts, but Other Dinos Grew Slow and Steady, Geoscientists Discover Ancestral Puebloans Survived from Ice Melt in New Mexico Lava Tubes. Snakes used to have legs. They became the sleek swimmers we recognize today during the next 15 million years, losing their hind limbs in a dramatic example of evolutionary change. When ancient whales finally parted company with the last remnants of their legs about 35 million years ago, a relatively sudden genetic event may have crowned an ⦠By Sophie Lewis Updated on: April 4, 2019 / 8:16 PM / CBS News More than 50 million years ago the ancestors of whales and dolphins were four-footed land animals, not unlike large dogs. offers eligible public information officers paid access to a reliable news release distribution service. It seems as if this particular âevidenceâ for evolution is about the same as that of the occasional human babies which are born with an abnormal lump of fat close to the base of the spine. For a closing argument, Trump attacks LeBron It would thus stand to reason that the earliest whales had fully functional legs and that only later did their legs begin to diminish in utility to the point at which they appear in modern whales as vestigial stubs concealed beneath the blubber. Only now in the last five years are we developing this understanding of how the world of evolution is controlled genetically.â. EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. Share. "It's clear when ancient whales lost all vestiges of the limb it was probably triggered by loss of Sonic hedgehog," said Clifford Tabin, Ph.D., a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School who was not involved in the research. But these whales do not leverage their size to become the top predator of the seas. Only now in the last five years are we developing this understanding of how the world of evolution is controlled genetically.". However, the actual loss of the hind limb occurred much further along in the evolutionary process, when a drastic change occurred to inactivate a gene essential for limb development. Researchers say the findings tend to support traditional evolutionary theory, a la Charles Darwin, that says minor changes over vast expanses of time add up to big changes. Why did dolphins and whales evolve to lose their back flippers? The study itself, combining fossil and developmental data, is notable, Tabin said. When whales evolved to live in the sea, they developed back flippers instead of back legs, briefly, then their back flippers disappeared entirely. How Ancient Whales Lost Their Legs, Got Sleek And Conquered The Oceans. While the animals still may have developed embryonic hind limb buds, as happens in today's spotted dolphins, they didn't have the Sonic hedgehog required to grow a complete or even partial limb, although it is active elsewhere in the embryo. What gene are scientists currently looking for in manatee's that will help them explain how some animals lost their legs? In addition to UF and Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, scientists from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the Indian Institute of Technology were involved in the research. Baleen whales are some of the largest animals in⦠The work sheds new light on a puzzle that has long intrigued researchers: How did whales, snakes and some lizards and fish lose their limbs through evolution? Researchers say the findings tend to support traditional evolutionary theory, a la Charles Darwin, that says minor changes over vast expanses of time add up to big changes. Or view hourly updated newsfeeds in your RSS reader: Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks: Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily, its staff, its contributors, or its partners. The study itself, combining fossil and developmental data, is notable, Tabin said. are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! "How Ancient Whales Lost Their Legs, Got Sleek And Conquered The Oceans." But without a doubt, they would make terrible chefs and untrustworthy food critics. As they suggest, there could have been a continual decrease in Sonic as the limbs reduced until the modern version of the animal arrived.". Although whales are expert swimmers and perfectly adapted to life underwater, these marine mammals once walked on four legs. "It's clear when ancient whales lost all vestiges of the limb it was probably triggered by loss of Sonic hedgehog," said Clifford Tabin, Ph.D., a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School who was not involved in the research. How did whales and manatees lose their back legs? "We can see from fossils that whales clearly lived on land - they actually share a common ancestor with hippos, camels and deer," said team member Martin Cohn, Ph.D., a developmental biologist and associate professor with the UF departments of zoology and anatomy and cell biology and a member of the UF Genetics Institute. Snakes and lizards are members of the same order, but the snake gene for legs was "turned off" millions of years ago. Why Did Snakes Lose Their Legs? "We can see from fossils that whales clearly lived on land - they actually share a common ancestor with hippos, camels and deer," said team member Martin Cohn, Ph.D., a developmental biologist and associate professor with the UF departments of zoology and anatomy and cell biology and a member of the UF Genetics Institute. 352-273-5815 EurekAlert! ScienceDaily, 23 May 2006. Otters arenât whales and the pressures on their life are different from the pressures on whalesâ lives. First results are in from tiny New Hampshire town. Whales lose teeth, gain baleen. Between 41 million and 50 million years ago, whales' hind limbs did shrink greatly as the former land animals began a return to the sea. Now they have evolved, but the gene to grow limbs still exists. "But it's hard to say for certain because you're looking at events long after they occurred. The new research shows that, near the end of 15 million years, with the hind limbs of ancient whales nonfunctional and all but gone, lack of Sonic hedgehog clearly comes into play. Content on this website is for information only. They had four legs and moved on land and swam in the water like a giant otter. Financial support was provided by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Indian Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi. When ancient whales finally parted company with the last remnants of their legs about 35 million years ago, a relatively sudden genetic event may have crowned an eons-long shrinking process. Between 41 million and 50 million years ago, whalesâ hind limbs did shrink greatly as these former land animals began a return to the sea. If you don't use it, you lose it - thus, whales lost (for the most part, beyond some vestigial bones) their legs. November 23, 2011 A sperm whale model at a whaling museum: Newly analyzed fossils suggest the whale evolved from hooved, deer-like creatures. "Their transition to an aquatic lifestyle occurred long before they eliminated their hind limbs. Our faces did not change that much. John D. Pastor The team also showed why Sonic hedgehog became inactive and all traces of hind limbs vanished at the end of this stage of whale evolution, said Cohn. GAINESVILLE, Fla. â When ancient whales finally parted company with the last remnants of their legs about 35 million years ago, a relatively sudden genetic event may ⦠In findings to be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists say the gradual shrinkage of the whales' hind limbs over 15 million years was the result of slowly accumulated genetic changes that influenced the size of the limbs and that these changes happened sometime late in development, during the fetal period. ScienceDaily. May 22, 2006. The switch that caused them to lose legs. The whales we know today look nothing like they did millions of years ago. It is a remarkable process that was achieved simply and led to profound consequences in how whales were able to survive. More than 50 million years ago the ancestors of whales and dolphins were four-footed land animals, not unlike large dogs. This gene - called Sonic hedgehog - functions during the first quarter of gestation in the embryonic period of the animals' development, before the fetal period. Community Health Centers Orlando, Fl,
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" />âWhales went through this remarkable transformation to become more like the ancestral fish,â Tabin said.
. Did whales have legs? Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! They were bigger on the left and smaller on the right. 'Hans' Thewissen, Ph.D., a member of the department of anatomy at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in Rootstown, Ohio, holds a two-month old fetus of a spotted... When ancient whales finally parted company with the last remnants of their legs about 35 million years ago, a relatively sudden genetic event may have crowned an eons-long shrinking process. Financial support for ScienceDaily comes from advertisements and referral programs, where indicated. Only now in the last five years are we developing this understanding of how the world of evolution is controlled genetically.". Biology. What did the scientists find when looking at manatee pelvic bones? And while Sonic hedgehog's role in the evolution of hind limbs in ancient whales is becoming apparent, it is still not fully defined. There is sometimes a retention of juvenile features in adulthood. ScienceDaily. As they suggest, there could have been a continual decrease in Sonic as the limbs reduced until the modern version of the animal arrived.". Zebra Finches Unmask the Bird Behind the Song, Most Effective Strategies to Cut COVID-19 Spread, Memory 'Fingerprints' Reveal Brain Organization, Geology at Mars' Equator: Ancient Megaflood, Healthy Sleep Habits Cut Risk of Heart Failure, NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 Astronauts Headed to ISS, Early Dispersal for Quadrupedal Cetaceans: Amphibious Whale from Middle Eocene, Ancient, Four-Legged Whale With Otter-Like Features Found Along the Coast of Peru, Giant 'Megalodon' Shark Extinct Earlier Than Previously Thought, Baleen Whales' Ancestors Were Toothy Suction Feeders, COVID-19 False Negative Test Results If Used Too Early, Ancient Blanket Made With 11,500 Turkey Feathers, Blue-Eyed Humans Have a Single, Common Ancestor, Octogenarian Snapper Found Off Australia Becomes Oldest Tropical Reef Fish by Two Decades, Keyhole Wasps May Threaten Aviation Safety, Largest Aggregation of Fishes in Abyssal Deep Sea, Very Hungry and Angry, Caterpillars Head-Butt to Get What They Want, The Secret Social Lives of Giant Poisonous Rats, T. Rex Had Huge Growth Spurts, but Other Dinos Grew Slow and Steady, Geoscientists Discover Ancestral Puebloans Survived from Ice Melt in New Mexico Lava Tubes. Snakes used to have legs. They became the sleek swimmers we recognize today during the next 15 million years, losing their hind limbs in a dramatic example of evolutionary change. When ancient whales finally parted company with the last remnants of their legs about 35 million years ago, a relatively sudden genetic event may have crowned an ⦠By Sophie Lewis Updated on: April 4, 2019 / 8:16 PM / CBS News More than 50 million years ago the ancestors of whales and dolphins were four-footed land animals, not unlike large dogs. offers eligible public information officers paid access to a reliable news release distribution service. It seems as if this particular âevidenceâ for evolution is about the same as that of the occasional human babies which are born with an abnormal lump of fat close to the base of the spine. For a closing argument, Trump attacks LeBron It would thus stand to reason that the earliest whales had fully functional legs and that only later did their legs begin to diminish in utility to the point at which they appear in modern whales as vestigial stubs concealed beneath the blubber. Only now in the last five years are we developing this understanding of how the world of evolution is controlled genetically.â. EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. Share. "It's clear when ancient whales lost all vestiges of the limb it was probably triggered by loss of Sonic hedgehog," said Clifford Tabin, Ph.D., a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School who was not involved in the research. But these whales do not leverage their size to become the top predator of the seas. Only now in the last five years are we developing this understanding of how the world of evolution is controlled genetically.". However, the actual loss of the hind limb occurred much further along in the evolutionary process, when a drastic change occurred to inactivate a gene essential for limb development. Researchers say the findings tend to support traditional evolutionary theory, a la Charles Darwin, that says minor changes over vast expanses of time add up to big changes. Why did dolphins and whales evolve to lose their back flippers? The study itself, combining fossil and developmental data, is notable, Tabin said. When whales evolved to live in the sea, they developed back flippers instead of back legs, briefly, then their back flippers disappeared entirely. How Ancient Whales Lost Their Legs, Got Sleek And Conquered The Oceans. While the animals still may have developed embryonic hind limb buds, as happens in today's spotted dolphins, they didn't have the Sonic hedgehog required to grow a complete or even partial limb, although it is active elsewhere in the embryo. What gene are scientists currently looking for in manatee's that will help them explain how some animals lost their legs? In addition to UF and Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, scientists from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the Indian Institute of Technology were involved in the research. Baleen whales are some of the largest animals in⦠The work sheds new light on a puzzle that has long intrigued researchers: How did whales, snakes and some lizards and fish lose their limbs through evolution? Researchers say the findings tend to support traditional evolutionary theory, a la Charles Darwin, that says minor changes over vast expanses of time add up to big changes. Or view hourly updated newsfeeds in your RSS reader: Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks: Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily, its staff, its contributors, or its partners. The study itself, combining fossil and developmental data, is notable, Tabin said. are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! "How Ancient Whales Lost Their Legs, Got Sleek And Conquered The Oceans." But without a doubt, they would make terrible chefs and untrustworthy food critics. As they suggest, there could have been a continual decrease in Sonic as the limbs reduced until the modern version of the animal arrived.". Although whales are expert swimmers and perfectly adapted to life underwater, these marine mammals once walked on four legs. "It's clear when ancient whales lost all vestiges of the limb it was probably triggered by loss of Sonic hedgehog," said Clifford Tabin, Ph.D., a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School who was not involved in the research. How did whales and manatees lose their back legs? "We can see from fossils that whales clearly lived on land - they actually share a common ancestor with hippos, camels and deer," said team member Martin Cohn, Ph.D., a developmental biologist and associate professor with the UF departments of zoology and anatomy and cell biology and a member of the UF Genetics Institute. Snakes and lizards are members of the same order, but the snake gene for legs was "turned off" millions of years ago. Why Did Snakes Lose Their Legs? "We can see from fossils that whales clearly lived on land - they actually share a common ancestor with hippos, camels and deer," said team member Martin Cohn, Ph.D., a developmental biologist and associate professor with the UF departments of zoology and anatomy and cell biology and a member of the UF Genetics Institute. 352-273-5815 EurekAlert! ScienceDaily, 23 May 2006. Otters arenât whales and the pressures on their life are different from the pressures on whalesâ lives. First results are in from tiny New Hampshire town. Whales lose teeth, gain baleen. Between 41 million and 50 million years ago, whales' hind limbs did shrink greatly as the former land animals began a return to the sea. Now they have evolved, but the gene to grow limbs still exists. "But it's hard to say for certain because you're looking at events long after they occurred. The new research shows that, near the end of 15 million years, with the hind limbs of ancient whales nonfunctional and all but gone, lack of Sonic hedgehog clearly comes into play. Content on this website is for information only. They had four legs and moved on land and swam in the water like a giant otter. Financial support was provided by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Indian Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi. When ancient whales finally parted company with the last remnants of their legs about 35 million years ago, a relatively sudden genetic event may have crowned an eons-long shrinking process. Between 41 million and 50 million years ago, whalesâ hind limbs did shrink greatly as these former land animals began a return to the sea. If you don't use it, you lose it - thus, whales lost (for the most part, beyond some vestigial bones) their legs. November 23, 2011 A sperm whale model at a whaling museum: Newly analyzed fossils suggest the whale evolved from hooved, deer-like creatures. "Their transition to an aquatic lifestyle occurred long before they eliminated their hind limbs. Our faces did not change that much. John D. Pastor The team also showed why Sonic hedgehog became inactive and all traces of hind limbs vanished at the end of this stage of whale evolution, said Cohn. GAINESVILLE, Fla. â When ancient whales finally parted company with the last remnants of their legs about 35 million years ago, a relatively sudden genetic event may ⦠In findings to be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists say the gradual shrinkage of the whales' hind limbs over 15 million years was the result of slowly accumulated genetic changes that influenced the size of the limbs and that these changes happened sometime late in development, during the fetal period. ScienceDaily. May 22, 2006. The switch that caused them to lose legs. The whales we know today look nothing like they did millions of years ago. It is a remarkable process that was achieved simply and led to profound consequences in how whales were able to survive. More than 50 million years ago the ancestors of whales and dolphins were four-footed land animals, not unlike large dogs. This gene - called Sonic hedgehog - functions during the first quarter of gestation in the embryonic period of the animals' development, before the fetal period. Community Health Centers Orlando, Fl,
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âWhales went through this remarkable transformation to become more like the ancestral fish,â Tabin said.
. Did whales have legs? Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! They were bigger on the left and smaller on the right. 'Hans' Thewissen, Ph.D., a member of the department of anatomy at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in Rootstown, Ohio, holds a two-month old fetus of a spotted... When ancient whales finally parted company with the last remnants of their legs about 35 million years ago, a relatively sudden genetic event may have crowned an eons-long shrinking process. Financial support for ScienceDaily comes from advertisements and referral programs, where indicated. Only now in the last five years are we developing this understanding of how the world of evolution is controlled genetically.". Biology. What did the scientists find when looking at manatee pelvic bones? And while Sonic hedgehog's role in the evolution of hind limbs in ancient whales is becoming apparent, it is still not fully defined. There is sometimes a retention of juvenile features in adulthood. ScienceDaily. As they suggest, there could have been a continual decrease in Sonic as the limbs reduced until the modern version of the animal arrived.". Zebra Finches Unmask the Bird Behind the Song, Most Effective Strategies to Cut COVID-19 Spread, Memory 'Fingerprints' Reveal Brain Organization, Geology at Mars' Equator: Ancient Megaflood, Healthy Sleep Habits Cut Risk of Heart Failure, NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 Astronauts Headed to ISS, Early Dispersal for Quadrupedal Cetaceans: Amphibious Whale from Middle Eocene, Ancient, Four-Legged Whale With Otter-Like Features Found Along the Coast of Peru, Giant 'Megalodon' Shark Extinct Earlier Than Previously Thought, Baleen Whales' Ancestors Were Toothy Suction Feeders, COVID-19 False Negative Test Results If Used Too Early, Ancient Blanket Made With 11,500 Turkey Feathers, Blue-Eyed Humans Have a Single, Common Ancestor, Octogenarian Snapper Found Off Australia Becomes Oldest Tropical Reef Fish by Two Decades, Keyhole Wasps May Threaten Aviation Safety, Largest Aggregation of Fishes in Abyssal Deep Sea, Very Hungry and Angry, Caterpillars Head-Butt to Get What They Want, The Secret Social Lives of Giant Poisonous Rats, T. Rex Had Huge Growth Spurts, but Other Dinos Grew Slow and Steady, Geoscientists Discover Ancestral Puebloans Survived from Ice Melt in New Mexico Lava Tubes. Snakes used to have legs. They became the sleek swimmers we recognize today during the next 15 million years, losing their hind limbs in a dramatic example of evolutionary change. When ancient whales finally parted company with the last remnants of their legs about 35 million years ago, a relatively sudden genetic event may have crowned an ⦠By Sophie Lewis Updated on: April 4, 2019 / 8:16 PM / CBS News More than 50 million years ago the ancestors of whales and dolphins were four-footed land animals, not unlike large dogs. offers eligible public information officers paid access to a reliable news release distribution service. It seems as if this particular âevidenceâ for evolution is about the same as that of the occasional human babies which are born with an abnormal lump of fat close to the base of the spine. For a closing argument, Trump attacks LeBron It would thus stand to reason that the earliest whales had fully functional legs and that only later did their legs begin to diminish in utility to the point at which they appear in modern whales as vestigial stubs concealed beneath the blubber. Only now in the last five years are we developing this understanding of how the world of evolution is controlled genetically.â. EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. Share. "It's clear when ancient whales lost all vestiges of the limb it was probably triggered by loss of Sonic hedgehog," said Clifford Tabin, Ph.D., a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School who was not involved in the research. But these whales do not leverage their size to become the top predator of the seas. Only now in the last five years are we developing this understanding of how the world of evolution is controlled genetically.". However, the actual loss of the hind limb occurred much further along in the evolutionary process, when a drastic change occurred to inactivate a gene essential for limb development. Researchers say the findings tend to support traditional evolutionary theory, a la Charles Darwin, that says minor changes over vast expanses of time add up to big changes. Why did dolphins and whales evolve to lose their back flippers? The study itself, combining fossil and developmental data, is notable, Tabin said. When whales evolved to live in the sea, they developed back flippers instead of back legs, briefly, then their back flippers disappeared entirely. How Ancient Whales Lost Their Legs, Got Sleek And Conquered The Oceans. While the animals still may have developed embryonic hind limb buds, as happens in today's spotted dolphins, they didn't have the Sonic hedgehog required to grow a complete or even partial limb, although it is active elsewhere in the embryo. What gene are scientists currently looking for in manatee's that will help them explain how some animals lost their legs? In addition to UF and Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, scientists from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the Indian Institute of Technology were involved in the research. Baleen whales are some of the largest animals in⦠The work sheds new light on a puzzle that has long intrigued researchers: How did whales, snakes and some lizards and fish lose their limbs through evolution? Researchers say the findings tend to support traditional evolutionary theory, a la Charles Darwin, that says minor changes over vast expanses of time add up to big changes. Or view hourly updated newsfeeds in your RSS reader: Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks: Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily, its staff, its contributors, or its partners. The study itself, combining fossil and developmental data, is notable, Tabin said. are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! "How Ancient Whales Lost Their Legs, Got Sleek And Conquered The Oceans." But without a doubt, they would make terrible chefs and untrustworthy food critics. As they suggest, there could have been a continual decrease in Sonic as the limbs reduced until the modern version of the animal arrived.". Although whales are expert swimmers and perfectly adapted to life underwater, these marine mammals once walked on four legs. "It's clear when ancient whales lost all vestiges of the limb it was probably triggered by loss of Sonic hedgehog," said Clifford Tabin, Ph.D., a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School who was not involved in the research. How did whales and manatees lose their back legs? "We can see from fossils that whales clearly lived on land - they actually share a common ancestor with hippos, camels and deer," said team member Martin Cohn, Ph.D., a developmental biologist and associate professor with the UF departments of zoology and anatomy and cell biology and a member of the UF Genetics Institute. Snakes and lizards are members of the same order, but the snake gene for legs was "turned off" millions of years ago. Why Did Snakes Lose Their Legs? "We can see from fossils that whales clearly lived on land - they actually share a common ancestor with hippos, camels and deer," said team member Martin Cohn, Ph.D., a developmental biologist and associate professor with the UF departments of zoology and anatomy and cell biology and a member of the UF Genetics Institute. 352-273-5815 EurekAlert! ScienceDaily, 23 May 2006. Otters arenât whales and the pressures on their life are different from the pressures on whalesâ lives. First results are in from tiny New Hampshire town. Whales lose teeth, gain baleen. Between 41 million and 50 million years ago, whales' hind limbs did shrink greatly as the former land animals began a return to the sea. Now they have evolved, but the gene to grow limbs still exists. "But it's hard to say for certain because you're looking at events long after they occurred. The new research shows that, near the end of 15 million years, with the hind limbs of ancient whales nonfunctional and all but gone, lack of Sonic hedgehog clearly comes into play. Content on this website is for information only. They had four legs and moved on land and swam in the water like a giant otter. Financial support was provided by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Indian Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi. When ancient whales finally parted company with the last remnants of their legs about 35 million years ago, a relatively sudden genetic event may have crowned an eons-long shrinking process. Between 41 million and 50 million years ago, whalesâ hind limbs did shrink greatly as these former land animals began a return to the sea. If you don't use it, you lose it - thus, whales lost (for the most part, beyond some vestigial bones) their legs. November 23, 2011 A sperm whale model at a whaling museum: Newly analyzed fossils suggest the whale evolved from hooved, deer-like creatures. "Their transition to an aquatic lifestyle occurred long before they eliminated their hind limbs. Our faces did not change that much. John D. Pastor The team also showed why Sonic hedgehog became inactive and all traces of hind limbs vanished at the end of this stage of whale evolution, said Cohn. GAINESVILLE, Fla. â When ancient whales finally parted company with the last remnants of their legs about 35 million years ago, a relatively sudden genetic event may ⦠In findings to be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists say the gradual shrinkage of the whales' hind limbs over 15 million years was the result of slowly accumulated genetic changes that influenced the size of the limbs and that these changes happened sometime late in development, during the fetal period. ScienceDaily. May 22, 2006. The switch that caused them to lose legs. The whales we know today look nothing like they did millions of years ago. It is a remarkable process that was achieved simply and led to profound consequences in how whales were able to survive. More than 50 million years ago the ancestors of whales and dolphins were four-footed land animals, not unlike large dogs. This gene - called Sonic hedgehog - functions during the first quarter of gestation in the embryonic period of the animals' development, before the fetal period.