An Ancient Creature Who Could See in The Dark Lies Hidden in The Eyes of Whales



More than 35 million years ago, the first animals to return to the water showed an affinity for the ocean depths.

The visual systems of contemporary whales, dolphins, and porpoises—collectively known as cetaceans—all descend from a single ancestor with strong underwater vision, according to new study.

It is believed that around 50 million years ago, a four-legged land animal gave rise to both whales and hippos. Both of these branches live in water, but only one of them can plunge far beyond the surface.

The change may have occurred soon after taking to the water, although the exact timing of when and why it occurred is still mostly unknown.

The research is based on the discovery that rhodopsin, a protein in mammalian eyes, is particularly sensitive to low-intensity blue light, such as that seen in the deep ocean.

Researchers were able to determine the ancestral gene sequence that originally permitted for deep underwater dives by examining the genes encoding this protein in live whales and certain comparable species.

This signature sequence was able to "resurrect" a long-lost pigment protein when produced in lab-grown cells.

This protein appears to be significantly more sensitive to low light levels as compared to terrestrial animals. Additionally, it reacts quickly to variations in light intensity.

Researchers believe the earliest aquatic cetacean may have hunted for food at depths of 200 meters or more (approximately 650 feet), when ocean light starts to wane, if it had such a sensitive protein.

The study's authors argue that some of the first completely aquatic cetaceans may have been able to dive into the mesopelagic zone as a result of these ancestral changes in rhodopsin function.

Furthermore, according to our reconstructions, this behavior developed prior to the split between toothed and baleen whales.

Instead, it appears that all cetaceans, including those that today hunt in shallow seas, had a common progenitor that had the ability to sight in the deep.

Later species "developed all the different foraging specializations we observe in contemporary whales and dolphins today," according to evolutionary researcher Belinda Chang.

The earliest aquatic cetacean, according to earlier research on the fossilized remnants of extinct whales, may have resembled a dolphin in shape and possessed a mix of tail flukes and relict hind limbs for swimming.

However, the present study is one of the first to look at how this creature's eyes may have functioned when it was looking for undersea food.

What's more amazing is that the writers managed it without using a real fossil.

"The ultimate standard for comprehending evolutionary biology is the fossil record. Contrary to what Jurassic Park would have you think, it is uncommon to recover DNA from ancient specimens since they often are in poor condition "says University of Toronto evolutionary scientist Sarah Dungan.

To supplement what we know from the fossil record, "if you're interested in how genes and DNA are changing, you rely on mathematical models and a strong sample of genes from live creatures."

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