Basilosaurus (Whale) Fossils
Basilosaurus is a prehistoric whale which lived approximately 40 million to 34 million years ago during the Late Eocene Period. It was first discovered during the 19th century in the United States and was originally thought to have been some kind of prehistoric reptile. Which is why it was given the name Basilosaurus in 1834 – a name which means “king lizard.” Looking at Basilosaurus picture, you can tell that this whale was pretty big. In fact, it was approximately 70 feet long and weighed around 15 tons. That means that it was longer than a semi-trailer and was approximately as heavy as a modern cruise ship’s anchor. This whale was a carnivore, as evidenced by its teeth and jaws. Scientists have studied this whale’s jaws and teeth and have discovered that it probably had an enormous bite-force. They found that this whale could bite down with a force of about 2,300 pounds.