Bottlenose Dolphin
Dolphins are well-known, lovable, and incredibly intelligent creatures. One genus of dolphins, known as Tursiops or Bottlenose, are quite commonly known to the common person (Bottlenose). Bottlenose dolphins are known for their intelligence and popularity with children especially. Many people know what they are and are able to recognize them easily. Scientists have proven that they are incredibly intelligent and know a lot about various things that humans also know (Common). However, many people do not know where dolphins originally come from. Much research has been done, and scientists have been able to come to some sort of a conclusion about the evolution of the Tursiops genus. The genus of Tursiops, or the bottlenose dolphin, originally
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Wikipedia has reported that “The evolutionary history of cetaceans is thought to have occurred in the Indian subcontinent from even-toed ungulates 50 million years ago, over a period of at least 15 million years...Cetaceans are thought to have evolved during the Eocene or earlier, sharing a closest common ancestor with hippopotamuses” (Evolution). The classification of hippopotami includes the order of Artiodactyla which means, even-toed ungulate. University of California, Berkeley has a website called Understanding Evolution, which displays a chart explaining the evolutionary history of the common bottlenose dolphin, and whales. It proves that bottlenose dolphins evolved from a land dwelling creature, and its closest living relative is the hippopotamus (Berkeley). (See Image 2.) A children’s website with facts about dolphins also cites the hippopotamus as the closest land relative to bottlenose dolphins. “The nearest living relative of the dolphin on land may be the hippo” (Carmody). Worldwide known, Seaworld has published the same opinion on the closest land-dwelling relative to dolphins as well. “Biochemical and genetic studies suggest that even-toed ungulates, especially hippopotamuses (Family Hippopotamidae), are cetaceans' closest living terrestrial relatives” (Seaworld). As displayed, sources have proven the hippopotamus may be the closest land-dwelling relative to the genus
Wikipedia has reported that “The evolutionary history of cetaceans is thought to have occurred in the Indian subcontinent from even-toed ungulates 50 million years ago, over a period of at least 15 million years...Cetaceans are thought to have evolved during the Eocene or earlier, sharing a closest common ancestor with hippopotamuses” (Evolution). The classification of hippopotami includes the order of Artiodactyla which means, even-toed ungulate. University of California, Berkeley has a website called Understanding Evolution, which displays a chart explaining the evolutionary history of the common bottlenose dolphin, and whales. It proves that bottlenose dolphins evolved from a land dwelling creature, and its closest living relative is the hippopotamus (Berkeley). (See Image 2.) A children’s website with facts about dolphins also cites the hippopotamus as the closest land relative to bottlenose dolphins. “The nearest living relative of the dolphin on land may be the hippo” (Carmody). Worldwide known, Seaworld has published the same opinion on the closest land-dwelling relative to dolphins as well. “Biochemical and genetic studies suggest that even-toed ungulates, especially hippopotamuses (Family Hippopotamidae), are cetaceans' closest living terrestrial relatives” (Seaworld). As displayed, sources have proven the hippopotamus may be the closest land-dwelling relative to the genus