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New paper: Discovery of the first southern monk seal, ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ถ๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฆ๐จ๐ข๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ช๐ด, changes everything we know about true seal evolution! 
My 3rd PhD paper @royalsociety 1/7
: @BranArtworks
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.2318
My 3rd PhD paper @royalsociety 1/7
: @BranArtworks http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.2318
This research was the main project of my PhD.
For three years I investigated what seals were living in New Zealand in the past. 2/7
For three years I investigated what seals were living in New Zealand in the past. 2/7
I looked at 7 fossil skulls found at Taranaki, on New Zealandโs north island.
The 3 million-year-old true seal fossil record at Taranaki is one of the best in the world, but had never been studied. 3/7
The 3 million-year-old true seal fossil record at Taranaki is one of the best in the world, but had never been studied. 3/7
The Taranaki fossils represent a new species, ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ถ๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฆ๐จ๐ข๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ช๐ด, the oldest and most southern monk seal! Until today, monk seals were only known from the Northern Hemisphere. 4/7
: @BranArtworks @Te_Papa
: @BranArtworks @Te_Papa
The name ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ถ๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฆ๐จ๐ข๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ช๐ด means โdawn monk seal from Belegaerโ.
Belegaer refers to the fictional โGreat Seaโ to the west of Tolkienโs Middle Earth. 5/7
Belegaer refers to the fictional โGreat Seaโ to the west of Tolkienโs Middle Earth. 5/7
Our investigation into the evolutionary history of true seals resulted in the most comprehensive phylogeny of the group to date! 6/7
When we looked at true seal biogeography, we discovered that monachines (southern true seals) evolved in the Southern Hemisphere!
Until now, it was thought monachines evolved in the North Atlantic. This represents a drastic change in the evolutionary history of the group. 7/7
Until now, it was thought monachines evolved in the North Atlantic. This represents a drastic change in the evolutionary history of the group. 7/7
