Basilosaurinae is a subfamily of cetaceans archaeocetes containing two genera: Basilosaurus and Basiloterus.[1] They were characterized by elongated distal thoracic vertebrae, lumbar, and proximal sacrococcygeal. All known members of the subfamily are larger than their relatives of the Dorudontinae subfamily except Cynthiacetus.[2]

Basilosaurinae
Temporal range: 41–33.9 Ma Middle EoceneLate Eocene
Basilosaurus skeleton
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Infraorder: Cetacea
Family: Basilosauridae
Subfamily: Basilosaurinae
Miller, 1923
Genera

Classification

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  • Subfamily Basilosaurinae

Notes

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  1. ^ Basilosauridae in the Paleobiology Database. Retrieved July 2013.
  2. ^ Uhen 2008

References

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  • Uhen, Mark D. (2008). "Basilosaurids". In Perrin, William F.; Wursig, Bernd; Thewissen, J.G.M. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals (2 ed.). Academic Press. pp. 91–4. ISBN 978-0-12-373553-9.
  • Uhen, Mark D. (2013). "A review of North American Basilosauridae". Alabama Museum of Natural History Bulletin. 31 (2): 1–45.