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Basilosaurus cetoides (Archaeocete whale)

SKU

F1004

Out of stock

$425.00

Overview

A TOP QUALITY, very rare Basilosaurus cetoides, an Archaeocete whale tooth found in the Suwanee River, Suwanee Co., Florida. An excellent molar or premolar tooth (see photo for tooth positions). An excellent brown colored crown and root. Nicely articulated. Note - enamel tip shows a small wear pattern on crown. Whales do not shed their teeth like the sharks so there teeth will wear with age. An Eocene age tooth (35 MYA). No repair or restoration. A great Archaeocete tooth from the Suwanee River, Florida. A very rare collector's tooth from an old collection.

F1004 SIZE: 2-3/8"

Note - Adding a collection of 27 Basilosaurus teeth from Florida and Georgia in July 2023. Link to Basilosaurus teeth.

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A very rare tooth from Basilosaurus cetoides, an Archaeocete whale. The Archaeocete is an ancient whale that evolved and became extinct at the end of the Eocene. Basilosaurus meaning "king lizard", is a genus of large, predatory, prehistoric archaeocete whale from the late Eocene, approximately 41.3 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). First described in 1834, it was the first archaeocete and prehistoric whale known to science. The first fossils were discovered along the Gulf Coast of the United States, along with a few fossils in the eastern U.S., attributed to the type species B. cetoides. Archaeocetes lived from about 50 million years ago to about 34 million years ago. The earliest archaeocetes were terrestrial to semi-aquatic animals which probably fed on marine prey. Later archaeocetes were feeding and spending most of their time in the sea, while returning to land to breed and/or give birth. The latest archaeocetes were the first fully aquatic cetaceans. Basilosaurus cetoides represents the latter fully aquatic species, but it did retain small hind legs.

Please note that all of these Basilosaurus cetoides teeth were found in the Upper Eocene Ocala Limestone Formation exposed in the Suwanee River, Suwanee County, Florida or Flint River, Georgia These Auriculatus teeth exhibit high quality preservation and can be very colorful. A little "river polish" adds to the attractiveness of these Auriculatus teeth.