'As big as a horse': Scientists discover an unknown whale species off coast of Mexico

Scientists have found a previously unknown whale species, which is of a size of a horse and they say that it may have been on the planet as long as humans. Unnamed as of now, three specimens of the beaked whale were observed in waters near the San Benito Islands off the coast of Mexico. Various scientists also took pictures and then studied them to come to a better conclusion.

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Unknown species discovered 

It was observed that the tusk of these species are in a completely different place from any other beaked whale. Also, its distinctive echolocation signals are not much known. As per reports by the Daily Mail, three whales were spotted in waters 100 miles north of the San Benito Islands. This is a group of three remote islands located approximately 300 miles from the US border.  Dr Jay Barlow at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, who led the expedition said that the team saw something new, something that was not expected in the area. It did not match visually or acoustically.

Talking about his personal experience, he said how it sends chills up and down his spine when he thinks that his team might have accomplished what is termed as ‘impossible’. He termed is as the ‘biggest surprise of his life’. 

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The environmental genetic sampling is still going through analysis and as per the reports by DailyMail, it is expected to prove the existence of this new species. Barlow revealed that researchers took three water samples in the vicinity of the animals in hopes of getting an “environmental DNA sample from their sloughed skin cell”. As per the reports by Associated Press, beaked whales are smaller than many other whales. Also, they have a sort of beak and dolphin-like nose.

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(Image Credits: Pixabay)