Heritage Cases

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED PROJECT WITH MOTIVATION FOR THE DESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS: Modern and fossil baleen whales (mysticetes) from Southern Africa (SA) are examined using a combination of micro-tomography (micro-CT), histology and calcium isotope analysis of tympanic bullae (ear bones), and carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of baleen, with the aim to provide information about their age, life history traits, migratory habits and feeding ecology. Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis), pygmy right whales (Caperea marginata), Eden’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni), sei whales (B. borealis), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), dwarf minke whales (B. acutorostrata subsp.) and an Antarctic minke whale (B. bonaerensis), form the modern whale sample in this study. The pygmy right whale is of particular interest, as there are several gaps in our understanding about this species. The fossil whale sample consists of fragmentary tympanic bullae (TB) from Langebaanweg (LBW), Mio-Pliocene (5Ma) fossil locality on the south-west coast of SA. Micro-CT and histological examination of the modern and fossil TB from different ontogenetic stages will provide information about age, as these bones record annually deposited growth lines, life history patterns, and bone development through ontogeny. Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of the pygmy right whale baleen will provide specific information about this species’ diet and migratory patterns. Calcium isotope analysis from the modern and fossil TB will provide the first thorough assessment of δ44Ca values for modern mysticete whales with approximately known diets; offer insights into the palaeotrophic structure and palaeodiets of the fossil mysticetes and provide the first calcium isotope analysis of fossils from LBW. MAIN MOTIVATIONS FOR THE CORING OF THE FOSSIL WHALE EAR BONES: Histological and isotopic methods can be used to study the fossil whales' age, life history patterns, migratory habits, and feeding ecology. Fossil whales from Langebaanweg have not been studied from a palaeobiological standpoint, this will be the first research to do this. Studying fossil whales will provide a unique opportunity to compare them with modern counterparts in Southern Africa. The project aims to generate public interest and awareness about the fossil whales from South Africa, which are often unknown to many people. The findings from this research could contribute to a new exhibit at the West Coast Fossil Park and other museums. The research on calcium isotopes of bones from modern and fossil whales in South Africa will contribute to our understanding of Mio-Pliocene marine mammal diets in Langebaanweg; allow us to systematically obtain calcium isotope values for modern mysticete whales with known diets (this has been done very randomly in previous publication); contribute to the expanding body of research on using calcium isotopes in studying both modern and fossil marine food webs.