History Cetology

bottlenose dolphin

observations cetacea have been recorded since @ least classical times. ancient greek fishermen created artificial notch on dorsal fin of dolphins entangled in nets tell them apart years later.

approximately 2,300 years ago, aristotle took notes on cetaceans while traveling on boats fishermen in aegean sea. in book historia animalium (history of animals), aristotle careful enough distinguish between baleen whales , toothed whales, taxonomical separation still used today. described sperm whale , common dolphin, stating can live @ least twenty-five or thirty years. achievement remarkable time, because today difficult estimate life-span of advanced marine animals. after aristotle s death, of knowledge had gained cetaceans lost, re-discovered during renaissance.

many of medieval texts on cetaceans come scandinavia , iceland, came mid-13th century. 1 of better known speculum regale. in text described various species lived around island of iceland. mentions orcs had dog-like teeth , demonstrate same kind of aggression towards other cetaceans wild dogs other terrestrial animals. text illustrated hunting technique of orcs, called orcas. speculum regale describes other cetaceans, including sperm whale , narwhal. many times seen terrible monsters, such killers of men, , destroyers of ships. bore odd names such pig whale , horse whale , , red whale . not creatures described said fierce. seen good, such whales drove shoals of herring towards shore. seen helpful fisherman.

many of studies based on dead specimens , myth. little information gathered length, , rough outer body anatomy. because these animals live in water entire lives, scientists did not have technology go study these animals further. not until 16th century things begin change. cetaceans proved mammals rather fish.

aristotle argued mammals. pliny elder stated fish, , followed many naturalists. however, pierre belon (1517–1575) , g. rondelet (1507–1566) persisted on convincing mammals. argued animals had lungs , uterus, mammals. not until 1758, when swedish botanist carl linnaeus (1707–1778) published tenth edition of systema naturae, seen mammals.

only decades later, french zoologist , paleontologist baron georges cuvier (1769–1832) described animals mammals without hind legs. skeletons assembled , displayed in first natural history museums, , on closer , comparisons other extinct animal fossils led zoologists conclude cetaceans came family of ancient land mammals.

between 16th–20th century, of our information on cetaceans came whalers. whalers knowledgeable animals, information regarding migration routes , outer anatomy, , little information of behavior. during 1960s, people began studying animals intensively, in dedicated research institutes. tethys institute of milan, founded in 1986, compiled extensive cetology database of mediterranean. came both concern wild populations , capture of larger animals such orca, , gaining popularity of dolphin shows in marine parks.