> ,,Prawdopodobnie''..
> Musze powiedzieć, że interpretacja dość swobodna..
> I to stworzenie(z czterema kończynami) jest w/g Ciebie ogniwem pośrednim
> dla waleni ?!..

to prawdopodobnie jest ode mnie a nie od odkrywcy Ambulocetusa.

To JEST przejscie miedzy ssakami lądowymi a waleniami. I nie wedlug mnie ale
wedlug wiekszosci paleontolow. I za nim i przed nim sa dalsze formy posrednie.
Konczyny ma cztery ale brzuch pewnie wlokl po ziemi jak uchatki. I jeszcze
jedno - TO JEST WALEŃ, ma czaszke walenia choc z licznymi cechami prymitywnymi.
Takiego stworzenia nie ma w nizszych warstwach - a przeciez wedlug
ewolucjonistow i dinozaury i krowy i widłaki i dęby zostały stworzone w tym
samym czasie - nie ma go tez w wyzszych warstwach. Nizej sa lądowi przodkowie
waleni, normalnie łażący, wyżej są już walenie ściśle przystosowane do życia w
morzu. Zreszta - do cholery - poczytaj sobie u źródła. Ja juz na III roku
studiow przeczytalem kreacjonistyczna ksiazke "Na Bezdrożach Teorii Ewolucji"
Johnsona i bez problemu, w oparciu o moja skromna wiedze, obalilem punkt po
punkcie te bzdury.

Uczepilem sie do tych waleni, bo to powtarzany od lat argument kreacjonistow, z
czasow kiedy Ambulocetus nie byl jeszcze znany. Jego odkrycie nic nie zmienilo,
kreacjonisci ciagle twierdza ze nie ma skamienialosci przejsciowych miedzy
ssakami ladowymi a waleniami

Oto jak znakomicie udokumentowana jest kopalna historia waleni (za
www.talkorigins.org)

Eoconodon or similar triisodontine arctocyonids (early Paleocene) Unspecialized
condylarths quite similar to the early oxyclaenid condylarths, but with strong
canine teeth (showing first meat-eating tendencies), blunt crushing cheek
teeth, and flattened claws instead of nails.
Microclaenodon (mid-Paleocene) -- A transitional genus intermediate between
Eoconodon and the mesonychids, with molar teeth reorganizing in numerous ways
to look like premolars. Adapted more toward carnivory.
Dissacus (mid-Paleocene) -- A mesonychid (rather unspecialized Paleocene meat-
eating animal) with molars more like premolars & several other tooth changes.
Still had 5 toes in the foot and a primitive plantigrade posture.
Hapalodectes or a very similar mesonychid (early Eocene, around 55 Ma) -- A
small mesonychid with very narrow shearing molars, a distinctively shaped
zygomatic arch, and peculiar vascularized areas between the molars. Probably a
running animal that could swim by paddling its feet. Hapalodectes itself may be
just too late to be the whale ancestor, but probably was a close relative of
the whale ancestor. Says Carroll (1988): "The skulls of Eocene whales bear
unmistakable resemblances to those of primitive terrestrial mammals of the
early Cenozoic. Early [whale] genera retain a primitive tooth count with
distinct incisors, canines, premolars,, and multirooted molar teeth. Although
the snout is elongate, the skull shape resembles that of the mesonychids,
especially Hapalodectes...."
Pakicetus (early-mid Eocene, 52 Ma) -- The oldest fossil whale known. Same
skull features as Hapalodectes, still with a very terrestrial ear (tympanic
membrane, no protection from pressure changes, no good underwater sound
localization), and therefore clearly not a deep diver. Molars still have very
mesonychid-like cusps, but other teeth are like those of later whales. Nostrils
still at front of head (no blowhole). Whale- like skull crests and elongate
jaws. Limbs unknown. Only about 2.5 m long. This skull was found with
terrestrial fossils and may have been amphibious, like a hippo.
Ambulocetus natans (early-mid Eocene, 50 Ma) -- A recently discovered early
whale, with enough of the limbs and vertebrae preserved to see how the early
whales moved on land and in the water. This whale had four legs! Front legs
were stubby. Back legs were short but well-developed, with enormous broad feet
that stuck out behind like tail flukes. Had no true tail flukes, just a long
simple tail. Size of a sea lion. Still had a long snout with no blowhole.
Probably walked on land like a sea lion, and swam with a seal/otter method of
steering with the front feet and propelling with the hind feet. So, just as
predicted, these early whales were much like modern sea lions -- they could
swim, but they could also still walk on land. (Thewissen et al., 1994)
Rodhocetus (mid-Eocene, 46 Ma) -- Another very recent (1993) fossil whale
discovery. Had hind legs a third smaller than those of A. natans. Could
probably still "waddle" a bit on land, but by now it had a powerful tail
(indicated by massive tail vertebrae) and could probably stay out at sea for
long periods of time. Nostrils had moved back a bit from the tip of the snout.
Basilosaurus isis, Protocetes, Indocetus ramani and similar small-legged whales
of the mid-late Eocene (45-42 Ma) -- After Rodhocetus came several whales that
still had hind legs, but couldn't walk on them any more. For example, B. isis
(42 Ma) had hind feet with 3 toes and a tiny remnant of the 2nd toe (the big
toe is totally missing). The legs were small and must have been useless for
locomotion, but were specialized for swinging forward into a locked straddle
position -- probably an aid to copulation for this long-bodied, serpentine
whale. B. isis may have been a "cousin" to modern whales, not directly
ancestral. Another recent discovery is Protocetes, a slightly more advanced
whale from the late Eocene. It was about 3m long (dolphin sized), and still had
primitive dentition, nostrils at end of snout, and a large pelvis attached to
the spine; limbs unknown. Finally Indocetus is known from only fragmentary
remains, but these include a tibia. These late Eocene legged whales still had
mesonychid-like teeth, and in fact, some of the whale fossils were first mis-
identified as mesonychids when only the teeth were found. ( See Gingerich et
al. (1990) for more info on B. isis.)
Prozeuglodon (late Eocene, 40 Ma) Another recently discovered whale, found in
1989. Had almost lost the hind legs, but not quite: still carried a pair of
vestigial 6- inch hind legs on its 15-foot body.
Eocetus, & similar "archeocete whales" of the late Eocene These more advanced
whales have lost their hind legs entirely, but retain a"primitive whale" skull
and teeth, with unfused nostrils. They grew to larger body size (up to 25m by
the end of the Eocene), an had an elongate, streamlined body, flippers, and a
cartilaginous tail fluke. The ear was modified for hearing underwater. Note
that this stage of aquatic adaptation was attained about 15 million years after
the first terrestrial mesonychids.
Dorudon intermedius -- a late Eocene whale probably ancestral to modern whales.
In the Oligocene, whales split into two lineages:

Toothed whales:
Agorophius (late Oligocene) -- Skull partly telescoped, but cheek teeth still
rooted. Intermediate in many ways between archaeocetes and later toothed
whales.
Prosqualodon (late Oligocene) -- Skull fully telescoped with nostrils on top
(blowhole). Cheek teeth increased in number but still have old cusps. Probably
ancestral to most later toothed whales (possibly excepting the sperm whales?)
Kentriodon (mid-Miocene) -- Skull telescoped, still symmetrical. Radiated in
the late Miocene into the modern dolphins and small toothed whales with
asymmetrical skulls.
Baleen (toothless) whales:
Aetiocetus (late Oligocene) -- The most primitive known mysticete whale and
probably the stem group of all later baleen whales. Had developed mysticete-
style loose jaw hinge and air sinus, but still had all its teeth. Later,
Mesocetus (mid-Miocene) lost its teeth.
Modern baleen whales first appeared in the late Miocene.