Migrating squid drove evolution of sonar in whales and dolphins, researchers argue

Sperm whales, dolphins and other "toothed" whales hunt squid so deep in the ocean they must rely on biosonar. UC Berkeley paleontologists argue for a likely evolutionary scenario that explains how these whales developed echolocation. What initially was a rudimentary echolocating ability to find hard-bodied nautiloids in surface waters 40 million years ago was perfected, as nautiloids declined, into a refined biosonar system able to find soft-bodied squid as they migrate downward during the day.

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