Chapter 8 - Prenatal development
Title
Chapter 8 - Prenatal development
Creator
Thewissen JGM; Hillmann DJ; George JC; Stimmelmayr R; Tarpley RJ; Sheffield Gay; Suydam RS
Publisher
The Bowhead Whale
Date
2021
Description
The prenatal development of bowhead whales is poorly known, and no complete ontogenetic series exist. However, the available embryos and fetuses elucidate aspects of the development of the species, as well as that of all of mysticetes in general, and demonstrate the role of heterochrony in development. For instance, hair on the face of bowhead whale embryos develops at the same ontogenetic stage as it does in terrestrial mammals, even though body hair never develops. The absence of teeth characterizes all modern baleen whales, but bowhead whale fetuses initiate teeth around the same time as land mammals, to then resorb them in the fetal period. Baleen forms after that, late in the fetal period.
Format
Book Chapter
NEOMED College
NEOMED College of Medicine
NEOMED Department
Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology
Update Year & Number
Jan to Aug list 2021
Citation
Thewissen JGM; Hillmann DJ; George JC; Stimmelmayr R; Tarpley RJ; Sheffield Gay; Suydam RS, “Chapter 8 - Prenatal development,” NEOMED Bibliography Database, accessed April 27, 2025, https://neomed.omeka.net/items/show/11813.