Asymmetric skulls [characteristic of modern odontocetes (toothed whale)] use their highly structured nose as an echolocation device, a reliable source to find food. But the other modern whale group, mysticetes (baleen whales), have symmetrical skulls and does not echolocate. Scientists thought that these abilities were passed down from the ancient whales, but now scientists are finding out that asymmetry is not derived from echolocation.
Faulke thought that ancient whales were like baleen whales, but the jaw lines were just not matching up. It then dawned on her that the ancient whales might have had asymmetrical skulls, and sure enough, she made the discovery that they did. She discovered that asymmetry existed well before toothed whales and baleen whales. Asymmetrical skulls actually evolved into symmetrical whales. The echolocation came from the asymmetrical whales.
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