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 meters 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. Wikipedia [ - ]

Basilosaurus is a genus of cetacean that lived 40 to 34 million years ago in the Late Eocene... [ + ]