Download or read book Sensory Evolution on the Threshold written by J. G. M. Thewissen and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2008-02-04 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ranging from crocodiles and penguins to seals and whales, this synthesis explores the function and evolution of sensory systems in animals whose ancestors lived on land. It explores the dramatic transformation of smell, taste, sight, hearing, and balance that occurred as lineages of reptiles, birds, and mammals returned to aquatic environments.