Prehistoric life
Basilosaurus fossils were first discovered in Louisiana, USA in the 1830s. Believed to be giant reptilian sea monsters, they were named Basilosaurus, or 'king lizards'. Later, they were shown not to be reptilian but gigantic, ancient whales. They were more elongated than modern whales and had a pair of small legs, that could have been a hangover from their terrestrial ancestry. A large number of fossils of these marine predators has been found to date, leading to the conclusion that Basilosaurus were common in the warm shallow seas of the time.
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Whale of a time
Basilosaurus was a slimline, predatory whale quite unlike today's species.
Basilosaurus was a slimline, predatory whale quite unlike today's species.
Desert whales
Fossils of the giant prehistoric Basilosaurus whales are found in the Sahara.
Fossils of the giant prehistoric Basilosaurus whales are found in the Sahara.
Lethal lagoon
A hungry Basilosaurus discovers the Dorudon calving grounds.
A hungry Basilosaurus discovers the Dorudon calving grounds.
Mangrove monsters
An aquatic early ancestor of the elephant faces an unusual threat.
An aquatic early ancestor of the elephant faces an unusual threat.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Discover the other animals and plants that lived during the following geological time periods.
Eocene epochBasilosaurus ("King Lizard") is a genus of cetacean that lived 40 to 34 million years ago in the Late Eocene. Its fossilized remains were first discovered in the southern United States (Louisiana). The American fossils were initially believed to be some sort of reptile, hence the suffix -"saurus", but later found to be a marine mammal.Richard Owen wished to rename the creature Zeuglodon ("Yoked Tooth"), but, per taxonomic rules, the creature's first name remained permanent. Fossils from at least two other species of this taxon have been found in Egypt and Pakistan.
Basilosaurus averaged about 18 metres (60 ft) in length, and is believed to have been the largest animal to have lived in its time. It displayed an unparalleled degree of elongation compared with modern whales. Their very small vestigial hind limbs have also been a matter of interest for paleontologists. The species B. cetoides is the state fossil of Mississippi and Alabama in the United States.
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