Basilosaurus Teeth For Sale
These Fossil Basilosaurus teeth we have for sale are from Western Sahara (Morocco) and are from the Eocene. They are about 41 to 33 million years old.
Basilosaurus was an early whale species. It was the first whale species discovered, described in 1834. At that time it was presumed to be a reptile and given the name basilosaurus meaning king lizard.
This marine mammal was big 50 to 66 feet long with a slender eel like body. It was likely the biggest animal in the ocean during the Eocene Epoch. A diet of large fish and other marine mammals sustained its huge mass of some 60 tons. Dorudon, a smaller marine mammal may have been a favorite meal. Dorudon remains have been found associated with basilosaurus skeletons.
Basilosaurus Legs
Even though Basilosaurus was fully adapted to marine life, its origins as a land mammal still shows. The photo on the right shows hind legs on a basilosaurus skeleton! They are no longer attached to the spine and they probably didn't do much. Some researchers theorize that they may have been used during mating.
Basilosaurus Ancestors
Oddly enough basilosaurus decended from land mammals. The evidence points to Artiodactyla or even toed ungulates as ancestors. Other Artiodactyls include hippos and bison.
Unlike modern whales basilosaurus did not have a large brain considering the size of it’s body
Basilosaurus fossils have been found along the gulf coast of North America and North Africa. In the US Basilosaurus is the state fossil of two different states, Alabama and Mississippi.
Basilosaurus Teeth
Like other mammals this marine mammal had specilized teeth. The photo of the basilosaurus jaw on the left shows the arrangement of teeth. In the front of the jaw are cone shaped single cusp teeth. At the back of the jaw are triangular teeth with many cusps. In between are intermediate teeth that make the transition from single cusp to multi cusp arrangement.
