Alabama

 **Alabama- Basilosaurus cetoides** Description: The // Basilosaurus cetoides // was originally thought to be related to a modern day lizard but is meat eating and is a part of the whale family. It grows up to be 55-75 feet long with tails that were about 40 feet long.

Picture of Fossil:



Time existed: They lived about 34-35 million years ago

Preservation: This fossil was found in Clark County and Washington County and is kept at the Smithsonian and McWane Center.

How it came to be: The Basilosaurus cetoides was discovered by Richard Harlan in 1832 and Albert Koch in 1845. In 1984, Act No. 84-66, announced that the //Basilosaurus cetoides// was the State Fossil.

Sources:

(2006). State fossil of Alabama. //Geologicaal Survey of Alabama,// Retrieved from http://www.gsa.state.al.us/gsa/fossil_alabama.html

(2010). Official symbols and emblems of Alabama. //Department of Archives and History,// Retrieved from http://www.archives.alabama.gov/emblems/st_fosil.html

(2012). Basilosaurus cetoides (Zeuglodon). //State Symbols USA,// Retrieved from http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Alabama/AL-state-fossil.html

(2010). Basilosaurus cetoides//. Encyclopedia of Alabama,// Retrieved from http://encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1386