Overview

• The new species Janjucetus dullardi was formally described today in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society based on a partial skull, ear bone and teeth discovered at Jan Juc beach.
• The juvenile mysticete measured about 2–2.2 metres long with adults estimated at roughly three metres, marking the third mammalodontid species identified in Victoria and the fourth worldwide.
• Its compact skull bore large forward-facing eyes and razor-sharp slicing teeth, suggesting an active predatory lifestyle rather than modern baleen filter feeding.
• High-resolution microCT scans uncovered delicate inner ear structures, including the cochlea, offering new insights into how early whales heard and navigated ancient seas.
• Museums Victoria will continue studying this specimen alongside other regional fossils and plans to prepare Janjucetus dullardi for future public display as research of the Jan Juc Formation progresses.