Paleontologists have identified a new whale species from a 25-million-year-old fossil found on an Australian beach.

Long before the ocean’s largest filter-feeders roamed the seas, their smaller, sharper cousins ruled the warm shallows. One such predator, newly named Janjucetus dullardi, offers a striking glimpse into the early days of whale evolution.

Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Prehistoric fossils have led to the discovery of an ancient whale species off the coast of Australia. Scientists said the species, Janjucetus dullardi, is one of the earliest cousins of modern whales but was not an ocean giant, researchers from Museums Victoria Research Institute said.