Definitions for basilosaurus
basilosaurus

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. basilosaurusnoun

   Any of several extinct cetaceans, of the family Basilosauridae, from the late Eocene

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Basilosaurus

   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. 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. Fossils have also been unearthed in the southeastern United States and Peru.Basilosaurus is thought to have been common in the Tethys Ocean. It was one of the largest, if not 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 (sometimes referred to as the pelagiceti). 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.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Basilosaurus

   Basilosaurus 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. 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, 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 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.

How to pronounce basilosaurus?

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How to say basilosaurus in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of basilosaurus in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of basilosaurus in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

References

1. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Basilosaurus
2. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilosaurus
3. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=basilosaurus