
A Remarkable Case of External Hind Limbs in a Humpback Whale (1921) [pdf] - fortran77
http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/bitstream/handle/2246/4849/N0009.pdf;jsessionid=55D6453968F5461B1B6BFF8D53C81F16?sequence=1
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ahazred8ta
This was from British Columbia in 1920. “This particular whale was a female
humpback of the average length, with elementary legs protruding from the body
about 4 feet 2 inches” (Notes on the Occurrence of a Humpbacked Whale having
Hind Legs)

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dicytea
I can barely tell what's going on in that photo, is there any clearer picture?

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thaumasiotes
Nope. But at least they apologized:

> I enclose herewith three photographs showing the unusual development of the
> pelvic Rudiments in a whale captured at the Kyuquot Station last July, of
> which you have the bones. It is to be regretted that better pictures in
> evidence of this unprecedented development were not obtained.

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fortran77
Here's a dolphin found, more recently, with rear legs/fins

[https://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=31071605...](https://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=31071605289)

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mrfusion
Ok super dumb question but I thought the tail fin was basically the two feet
fused together. I’m not sure why this picture has the extra fins on the body
and a tail.

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snowwrestler
A whale is a mammal, and the tail of a whale is analogous to the tail of a
dog, or cat, or otter, or other mammal with a tail.

The hind legs of whales essentially atrophied away as they evolved. Some
whales have small vestigial limb bones sort of floating inside their lower
abdomen.

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mrfusion
Ah you’re right. Looks like seals are set up like I was describing though.

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snowwrestler
Yeah, the elephant seal in particular

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pvaldes
Whales have vestigial bones of hind limbs, but are normally inside the body.

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codrcodz
Yup. Unlike most sea creatures, the ancestors of whales used to live on land.

More info:
[https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evograms_0...](https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evograms_03)

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madengr
IIRC from reading Dawkins books, hippos are more closely related to whales
than to any land animal.

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mkl
Yes, but their last common ancestor was not much like either. Lots about the
sequence of changes seems to be established now:
[http://www.eartharchives.org/articles/the-evolution-of-
whale...](http://www.eartharchives.org/articles/the-evolution-of-whales/)

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woozyolliew
A couple of years ago I visited a whale exhibition at the natural history
museum in London. They had skeletons and models showing the evolution of the
whale from a land mammal. The shrinking of the legs/pelvis and eventual
detachment from the spine was fascinating to see laid out.

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jkonline
I appreciate the "I know how this looks and sounds 'hoaxy,' but here's why I
think I'm right" aspect by the author. (paraphrased of course)

