Basilosauridae
Encyclopedia
Basilosauridae is family
of extinct cetacea
ns that lived in tropical seas during the late Eocene
.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of extinct cetacea
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...
ns that lived in tropical seas during the late Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
.
Taxonomy
- Family Basilosauridae
- Subfamily BasilosaurinaeBasilosaurinaeBasilosaurinae is a subfamily of cetaceans archaeocetes containing two genera: Basilosaurus and Basiloterus. Were characterized by elongated distal thoracic vertebrae, lumbar, and proximal sacrococcygeal...
- 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...
- Genus Basiloterus
- Genus Basilosaurus
- Subfamily DorudontinaeDorudontinaeDourdontinae are a group of extinct cetaceans that are related to Basilosaurus.- Classification :*Subfamily Dorudontinae** Genus Ancalecetus*** Ancalecetus simonsi** Genus Chrysocetus*** Chrysocetus healyorum...
- Genus AncalecetusAncalecetusAncalecetus is an extinct genus of whale....
- Genus ChrysocetusChrysocetusChrysocetus is an genus of extinct whale....
- Genus CynthiacetusCynthiacetusCynthiacetus 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...
- Genus DorudonDorudonDorudon was a genus of ancient cetacean that lived alongside Basilosaurus 41 to 33 million years ago, in the Eocene. They were about five meters long and were most likely carnivorous, feeding on small fish and mollusks. Dorudontines lived in warm seas around the world...
- Genus SaghacetusSaghacetusSaghacetus is a extinct genus of cetacean archaeocete, belonging to the family Basilosauridae. Existed during the Upper Eocene in Egypt....
- Genus ZygorhizaZygorhizaZygorhiza kochii is an extinct species of cetacean.Zygorhiza was a smaller, less elongated, 6 m long relative of the famous Basilosaurus. Its bodily proportions were similar to those of modern whales, although, unlike modern species, it had a distinct neck, and flippers which could be moved at...
- Genus Ancalecetus
- Subfamily Kekenodontinae
- Genus Kekenodon
- Genus Phococetus
- Subfamily Stromeriinae
- Genus Stromerius
- Subfamily Basilosaurinae