Basilosaurus

ancient whale · prehistoric · ocean hunter

King Lizard Name. Basilosaurus means "king lizard" because scientists in 1834 thought the fossils belonged to a giant reptile, not a whale. Even after they figured out it was actually a whale, the name stuck because of zoological naming rules.

Ancient Ocean Giant. Basilosaurus lived about 41 to 34 million years ago during a time called the late Eocene epoch. It was one of the first whales that ever existed, way before modern whales evolved.

Fearsome Predator. This marine mammal was large and predatory, meaning it hunted other ocean creatures for food. Its sharp teeth and powerful body made it a fearsome hunter in ancient seas.

Global Fossils. Scientists found Basilosaurus fossils in two different regions. One species lived near what is now the southeastern United States, while another swam in the ancient Mediterranean Sea around North Africa and Jordan.

Science First. Basilosaurus was the very first archaeocete (an ancient whale ancestor) and prehistoric whale ever discovered and described by scientists. It opened up a whole new understanding of whale evolution.