Abstract
The grey whale, Eschrichtius robustus, occurred in the Atlantic Ocean until c.300 years ago, having been extirpated probably owing to hunting by humans. Three records of fossil grey whale bones were known previously from Cornwall and Devon in the 18th and 19th centuries. Morphological identification to species of cetacean remains from palaeontological and archaeological sites is problematic, because the bones are often fragmentary or have been modified by humans. The application of ancient DNA analysis and collagen fingerprinting (ZooMS) allows the identification of fragmentary and modified cetacean bone to species and/or generic level, thus offering new opportunities to understand the exploitation of cetaceans by human coastal communities. Analyses of cetacean bone from Orkney and Shetland have identified for the first time the presence of grey whale at archaeological sites in Scotland, extending the geographical range of records in Britain. These findings confirm for the first time that the seas around Scotland were part of the range of the grey whale in the eastern North Atlantic, thereby linking records of this species (from southern Scandinavia, the Northern Isles of and southwest Britain, the southern North Sea and Netherlands, to the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco) over a similar latitudinal range that the species still occupies in the Pacific Ocean.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.