Australian fossil seal vertebrae (Phocidae)

3D Model

Backbone and ribs of a 6 million year old true seal (family Phocidae) from Beaumaris beach near Melbourne, Australia.

For more information about the discovery of this specimen read our articles with The Conversation and on the Museums Victoria Blog.

Specimen Information: NMV P160433 (Museums Victoria)

References:

James P Rule, Justin W Adams, Erich M G Fitzgerald, 2020. Colonization of the ancient southern oceans by small-sized Phocidae: new evidence from Australia, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa075