Basilosaurus
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9.9
- proper noun
- /ˌbæzɪləˈsɔrəs/
- Specialized
- He was among the first in the world to find fossil evidence of a primitive whale, Basilosaurus cetoides (Wailes, Report 277).
- Basilosaurus a whale
Examples
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In 1993, though, the hind limbs of Indocetus ramani, another early whale that lived between the eras of Pakicetus and Basilosaurus, were located in India and Pakistan.
Academic text (2007) -
Basilosaurus (a transition between land animals and whales)?
Blog text (14) -
Other elements are reconstructed based on closely related Basilosaurus.
Academic text (2001) -
Thus, although an important discovery, Basilosaurus couldn't serve as a true intermediate.
Academic text (2007) -
In Basilosaurus and Physeter, there is no contact between the sacrum and innominate, and the hind limb is not weight-bearing.
Academic text (2001) -
The extinct whale known as Basilosaurus had a unique body shape that distinguished it from modern whales.
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Paleontologists discovered a well-preserved Basilosaurus skeleton in the desert, revealing secrets about its way of life.
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Many fossils of Basilosaurus have been unearthed, providing valuable insights into the evolution of ancient marine mammals.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Basilosaurus comes from Greek parts basileus 'king' and sauros 'lizard'. Early scientists called this very large fossil 'king lizard' because they first thought the bones were from a reptile, and that name helps you remember it is a huge, extinct ancient whale.