Adapted from National Geographic, November 2001, The Evolution of Whales,
by Douglas H. Chadwick, Shawn Gould and Robert Clark
Re-illustrated for public access distribution by Sharon Mooney ©2006,
(image may be re-distributed, under condition all original credits remain
intact.)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ambulocetus was an early cetacean that could walk as well as swim. It is a transitional fossil that shows how whales evolved from land-living mammals. Its name means 'walking whale'. Having the appearance of a three-metre long mammalian crocodile, it was clearly amphibious, as its back legs are better adapted for swimming than for walking on land, and it probably swam by undulating its back vertically, as otters, seals and whales do. It has been speculated that Ambulocetids hunted like crocodiles, lurking in the shallows to snatch unsuspecting prey. Chemical analysis of its teeth shows that it was able to move between salt and fresh water.
Ambulocetus did not have external ears. To detect prey on land, they may have lowered their heads to the ground and felt for vibrations.
The reason why scientists consider Ambulocetus to be an early whale is that it shares underwater adaptations with them: it had an adaptation in the nose that enabled it to swallow underwater, and it shared ear structure with whales, enabling it to hear well underwater. In addition, its teeth are similar to those of cetaceans.
The Ambulocetus fossils were found in Pakistan by anthropologist Johannes Thewissen. When the animal was alive, Pakistan was a coastal region bordering the ancient Tethys Sea.
Roleplaying Notes
The creatures resting on the bank are quite unusual, looking like furry crocodiles.
The ambulocetus may look like a furred crocodile, but it is in fact a primitve limbed whale. These unusual cetaceans haunt the coastal waters and forest waterways. Mysterious as they are unusual, ambulocetus are rarely seen.
Roleplaying Notes
Originally Posted by
Raptorial of the Wizards Community forums.
| Ambulocetus | |
| Large Animal | |
| Hit Dice | 3d8+21 (34 hp) |
| Initiative | +2 (+2 Dex) |
| Speed | 15 ft. (3 squares), swim 30 ft. (6 squares) |
| Armor Class | 13 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 11 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +2/+14 |
| Attack | Bite +9 melee (1d8 +8) |
| Full Attack | Bite +9 melee (1d8 +8) |
| Space/Reach | 10 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks | Improved grab |
| Special Qualities | Low-light vision |
| Saves | Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +4 |
| Abilities | Str 26, Dex 15, Con 25, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 9 |
| Skills | Hide +5, Listen +3, Move Silently +9, Spot +4 |
| Feats | Lightning Reflexes, Stealthy |
| Environment | Warm coast or forest rivers |
| Organization | Solitary |
| Challenge Rating | 3 |
| Treasure | None |
| Alignment | Always neutral |
| Advancement | 4-6 HD (Large); 7-9 HD (Huge) |
| Level Adjustment | - |
Combat
An ambulocetus will bite
an opponent and attempt to drown it.
Improved Grab (Ex) If an ambulocetus bites an opponent, it deals normal
damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking
an attack of opportunity. No initial touch attack is required. Improved grab
works only against opponents that are Medium or smaller. The ambulocetus may
conduct the grapple normally, or use its bite to hold the opponent. If it
chooses to do the latter, it takes a –20 penalty on grapple checks, but
is not considered grappled itself; it doesn't lose its Dexterity bonus to
AC, still threatens an area, and can use its remaining attacks against other
opponents. Each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds
automatically deals bite damage. When the ambulocetus gets a hold after an
improved grab attack, it pulls the opponent into its space. This act does
not provoke attacks of opportunity. The ambulocetus can even move, along with
the opponent, if it can drag its weight.
Hold Breath (Ex) An ambulocetus can hold its breath for a number of
rounds equal to 7 x its Constitution modifier.