Prehistoric cetacean genus from the Late Eocene epoch
Basilosaurus
Temporal range: Eocene (Bartonian to Priabonian), 41.3–33.9 Ma
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[1]
B. cetoides skeleton, National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Artiodactyla
Infraorder:
Cetacea
Family:
†Basilosauridae
Subfamily:
†Basilosaurinae
Genus:
†Basilosaurus Harlan 1834
Species
B. cetoides (type) Owen 1839
B. isis Andrews 1904
Synonyms
Zeuglodon Owen 1839
Hydrarchos? Koch 1845
Alabamornis Abel 1906
Basilosaurus (meaning "king lizard") is a genus of large, predatory, prehistoric archaeocete whale from the late Eocene, approximately 41.3 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). First described in 1834, it was the first archaeocete and prehistoric whale known to science.[2] Fossils attributed to the type species B. cetoides were discovered in the United States. They were originally thought to be of a giant reptile, hence the suffix "-saurus", Ancient Greek for "lizard". The animal was later found to be an early marine mammal, which prompted attempts at renaming the creature, which failed as the rules of zoological nomenclature dictate using the original name given. Fossils were later found of the second species, B. isis, in 1904 in Egypt, Western Sahara, Morocco, Jordan, Tunisia, and Pakistan.[3] Fossils have also been unearthed in the southeastern United States and Peru.[4][5][6]
Basilosaurus is thought to have been common in the Tethys Ocean.[7][8]
It was one of the largest animals of the Paleogene. It was the top predator of its environment, preying on sharks, large fish and other marine mammals, namely the dolphin-like Dorudon, which seems to have been their predominant food source.
Basilosaurus was at one point a wastebasket taxon, before the genus slowly started getting reevaluated, with many species of different Eocene cetacean being assigned to the genus in the past, however they are invalid or have been reclassified under a new or different genus, leaving only 2 confirmed species.
Basilosaurus may have been one of the first fully aquatic cetaceans[2] (sometimes referred to as the pelagiceti[9]). Basilosaurus, unlike modern cetaceans, had various types of teeth–such as canines and molars–in its mouth (heterodonty), and it probably was able to chew its food in contrast to modern cetaceans which swallow their food whole.[10][11]
^"Dir Abu Lifa (Eocene of Egypt)". PBDB. Mark Uhen.
^ abUhen, Mark D. (2002). "Basilosaurids". In Perrin, William F.; Würsig, Bernd; Thewissen, J. G. M. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Academic Press. pp. 79–81. ISBN 978-0-12-551340-1.
^Werdelin, Lars; Sanders, William Joseph (20 July 2010). Cenozoic Mammals of Africa. Univ of California Press. ISBN 9780520257214.
^Smith, Kathlyn M.; Hastings, Alexander K.; Bebej, Ryan M.; Uhen, Mark D. (2022). "Biogeographic, stratigraphic, and environmental distribution of Basilosaurus (Mammalia, Cetacea) in North America with a review of the late Eocene shoreline in the southeastern coastal plain". Journal of Paleontology. 96 (2): 439–451. Bibcode:2022JPal...96..439S. doi:10.1017/jpa.2021.90. ISSN 0022-3360. S2CID 240244165.
^M, Carlos; ujano. "36-million-year-old whale fossil found in Peruvian desert". phys.org. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
^Aquino, Marco; Valdez, Carlos (18 March 2022). "In Peru, skull of 'marine monster' points to fearsome ancient predator". Reuters. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
^"Valley of the Whales (magazine)". National Geographic. August 2010. Archived from the original on 4 August 2019.
confirmed species. Basilosaurus may have been one of the first fully aquatic cetaceans (sometimes referred to as the pelagiceti). Basilosaurus, unlike modern...
total skeletal length estimate of 20.0 meters (65.6 ft). When using Basilosaurus isis (18 thoracic and 19 lumbar) and Dorudon atrox (17 thoracic and 20...
a genus of extinct basilosaurid ancient whales that lived alongside Basilosaurus 40.4 to 33.9 million years ago in the Eocene. It was a small whale, with...
species of Basilosaurus in that the centra of the lumbar vertebrae were less elongated relative to their height compared to those of Basilosaurus. The crosssections...
plesiosaur, from the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods, or extinct whales like Basilosaurus. Ship damage from Tropical cyclones such as hurricanes or typhoons may...
inflexible swimmer that swam by moving its entire body up and down similar to Basilosaurus. It has further been suggested that Pachycetus preferred shallow waters...
isolated vertebrae to his new genus, both of which Uhen 1998 moved to Basilosaurus drazindai. A holotype, described by Stromer 1903 as Zeuglodon macrospondylus...
from Basilosaurus and Dorudon indicate they possessed small flukes. Basilosaurinae was proposed as a subfamily containing two genera: Basilosaurus and...
Color(s) Red, white Dance Square dance Food Pecan, blackberry, peach Fossil Basilosaurus Gemstone Star blue quartz Mineral Hematite Rock Marble Shell Johnstone's...
the modification of the forelimbs into flippers which occurred with Basilosaurus 35 million years ago, and the shrinking and eventual disappearance of...
Dorudontidae whose most famous member, Dorudon, lived at the same time as Basilosaurus. Both groups had already developed some of the typical anatomical features...
quickly. On the flipside, the large sizes of later basilosaurids such as Basilosaurus itself may have been driven by the middle Eocene climatic optimum or...
Dorudontinae are a group of extinct cetaceans that are related to Basilosaurus. Subfamily Dorudontinae Genus Ancalecetus Ancalecetus simonsi Genus Chrysocetus...
cranium (blowholes), and the modification of the forelimbs into flippers (Basilosaurus 35 mya), and the shrinking and eventual disappearance of the hind limbs...
themselves in an underground lake with a live, ancient whale called a Basilosaurus! Package item : A fossil detector for Kamal Word of this episode : TBA...
The teeth of the preserved fossils show similarity to the teeth of Basilosaurus, another genus of prehistoric cetaceans. The incisors are cone-like,...
Eocene polar forests in Ellesmere Island, Canada Basilosaurus Primitive Eocene Whales Basilosaurus - The plesiosaur that wasn't.... Detailed maps of...
assembled collection of bones from at least five fossil specimens of Basilosaurus. "Supposed Appearance Of The Great Sea-Serpent, From H.M.S. Plumper,...
Ma Modern-type butterflies and moths appear. Extinction of Gastornis. Basilosaurus, one of the first of the giant whales, appeared in the fossil record...
was home to a diverse marine invertebrate fauna and the early whale Basilosaurus. Fragments of leaves and petrified wood documented the contemporary local...
more archaic forms died out. By the end of the Eocene, whales such as Basilosaurus had become fully aquatic. The late Eocene Epoch saw the rebirth of seasons...
in the public part of the park. The two common whales are the large Basilosaurus, and the smaller (3- to 5-metre) Dorudon. At least two other species...
size and morphology to that of Basilosaurus cetoides, but Cynthiacetus lacked the elongated vertebrae of Basilosaurus. Uhen 2005 erected the genus to...
largest known terrestrial predatory mammal ever, and early whales like Basilosaurus took control of the seas. [citation needed] The evolution of grasses...
basilosaurid was as big as the larger modern whales, with genera like Basilosaurus reaching lengths of up to 60 ft (18 m) long; dorudontines were smaller...
elongation of the vertebrae in Antaecetus resembles what is known from Basilosaurus, consequently supporting the idea that their locomotion could have been...
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