Brain structures reveal an early seal relative used whiskers similar to modern-day seals.
The, also known as a “river beast,” was an ancient relative to seals with an otter-like appearance. The early animal wandered the Earth about 23 million years ago, and it likely used its whiskers to find food and explore underwater.
But, looking at the infraorbital nerves alone does not inform on the sensitivity of whiskers. So, researchers also looked at casts of modern and ancient skulls to see how the coronal gyrus changed shape with whisker use. . These creatures included bears, mustelids and seal relatives. Casts were made because preserved remains of whiskers or soft tissues of early pinnipeds are unknown.The coronal gyrus, located inside the cranial cavities, receives signals from whiskers. Based on the shape of the skulls, researchers can see how the area received signals from whiskers and how it changed with use over time.
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