Basilosaurinae
Encyclopedia
Basilosaurinae is a subfamily of cetaceans
archaeocetes
containing two genera
: Basilosaurus
and Basiloterus. Were characterized by elongated distal thoracic vertebrae, lumbar, and proximal sacrococcygeal. All known members of the subfamily are larger than their relatives of the Dorudontinae
subfamily except Cynthiacetus
.
Cetacea
The order Cetacea includes the marine mammals commonly known as whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Cetus is Latin and is used in biological names to mean "whale"; its original meaning, "large sea animal", was more general. It comes from Ancient Greek , meaning "whale" or "any huge fish or sea...
archaeocetes
Archaeoceti
Archaeocetes, or "ancient whales", are a paraphyletic group of cetaceans that gave rise to the modern cetaceans.The archaeocetes were once thought to have evolved from the mesonychids, based on dental characteristics...
containing two genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
: Basilosaurus
Basilosaurus
Basilosaurus is a genus of cetacean that lived from 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...
and Basiloterus. Were characterized by elongated distal thoracic vertebrae, lumbar, and proximal sacrococcygeal. All known members of the subfamily are larger than their relatives of the Dorudontinae
Dorudontinae
Dourdontinae are a group of extinct cetaceans that are related to Basilosaurus.- Classification :*Subfamily Dorudontinae** Genus Ancalecetus*** Ancalecetus simonsi** Genus Chrysocetus*** Chrysocetus healyorum...
subfamily except Cynthiacetus
Cynthiacetus
Cynthiacetus is an extinct genus of cetacean archaeocete, belonging to the family Basilosauridae. Lived during the Upper Eocene 38 million years ago. Was found in the southeastern United States, Egypt and Peru. Its skull was similar in size and morphology to Basilosaurus, but unlike it had no...
.
Clasification
- Subamily Basilosaurinae
- Genus BasilosaurusBasilosaurusBasilosaurus is a genus of cetacean that lived from 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...
- Basilosaurus cetoides
- Basilosaurus drazindai
- Basilosaurus isis
- Genus Basiloterus
- Basiloterus hussaini
- Genus Basilosaurus