Strange skull of an ancestor of the river dolphin that swam the oceans 34 million years ago is found in South America
- Believed to be from the Oligocene period from 34-23 million years ago
- It is rare due to its location as one of a few fossils to be found around the equator
- It is thought to be the ancestor for all living and extinct species of river dolphin
The fossilised remains of a new species of dolphin have been discovered in Ecuador, which date back more than 30 million years ago.
The dolphin is one of the few species to be found around the equator, with most dolphin fossils coming from more temperate regions.
Researchers believe the creature, which they have named Urkudelphis chawpipacha, is an ancestor of today's river dolphins.
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The fossilised remains of a new species of dolphin have been discovered in Ecuador, which date back around 30 million years ago. The dolphin skull had a bone crest front and centre on its face, above the eye sockets
The fossil was discovered in the tropical region of the Santa Elena Province in Ecuador by scientists from the Osaka Museum of Natural History.
It came as a surprise, as most dolphin fossils have been found around South Carolina, off the coast of Oregon, Hokkaido and in New Zealand.
To find remains of ancient dolphins in the Arctic or equatorial regions is a rarity.
Dr Yoshihiro Tanaka, lead author of the study, said: 'The fossil is one of the few fossil dolphins from the equator, and is a reminder that Oligocene cetaceans may have ranged widely in tropical waters.'
An analysis of the dolphin's skull revealed it had a unique head shape.
The dolphin had a bone crest front and centre on its face, above the eye sockets, and shorter and wider bones located near the top of the head as well as other differences to the bone structure of the cranium.
The researchers believe the creature may be the ancestor to modern-day river dolphins.
River dolphins are a dwindling population which only live in freshwater and brackish water. Pictured is an Amazon river dolphin
River dolphins are a dwindling population which only live in freshwater and brackish water.
The Yangtze River Dolphin once dominated the waterways of the Chinese river but now is believed to be 'functionally extinct'.
The fossil was discovered in the tropical region of the Santa Elena Province in Ecuador by scientists from the Osaka Museum of Natural History
Increased fishing and pollution in their habitat saw numbers decrease and surveys have struggled to locate any individuals.
Other river dolphin species still exist in the Amazon, Río de la Plata, Ganges and Indus rivers.
Although they look similar and live in rivers around the world, these other species are not related.
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