Harlan identified the tooth as a wedge-shaped shell and instead focused on "a vertebra of enormous dimensions" which he assumed belonged to the order "Enalio-Sauri of Conybeare", "found only in the sub-cretaceous series." He noted that some parts of the vertebra were similar to those of "Plesiosaurus" and skull was similar to Mosasaurus, but that they were completely different in proportions. Comparing his vertebra to those of large dinosaurs such as "Megalosaurus" and "Iguanodon", Harlan concluded that his specimen was considerably larger—he estimated the animal to have been no less than long—and therefore suggested the name "Basilosaurus", meaning "king lizard".