Paleontologists discovered in Peru an unprecedented species of pygmy sperm whale, with an asymmetrical head and a large frontal bulge, which probably used it to locate prey on the sea floor by echolocation, the University of Zurich reported.
"Although it was initially believed that the skull of this ancient whale was distorted while fossilized, the analysis found no damage or disease. This suggests that the sperm whale had a natural asymmetry," said Aldo Benitez-Plomino, a researcher at the university.
Although most vertebrates have symmetrical bodies and skulls, flatfish, sperm whales, and some owls have asymmetrical heads. Scientists are investigating how these unusual structures arose during evolution.