The two species of "Basilosaurus" are "B. cetoides", whose remains were discovered in the United States, and "B. isis", which was discovered in Egypt. "B. cetoides" is the type species for the genus. The Holotype Harlan found, was found in Ouachita County, Louisiana. Vertebrae were sent to the American Philosophical Society by a Judge Henry Bry of Ouachita County, Louisiana and Judge John Creagh of Clarke County, Alabama. Both fossils ended up in the hands of the anatomist Richard Harlan, who requested more examples from Creagh. The first bones were unearthed when rain caused a hillside full of sea shells to slide. The bones were lying in a curved line "measuring upwards of four hundred feet in length, with intervals which were vacant." Many of these bones were used as andirons and destroyed; Bry saved the bones he could find, but was convinced more bones were still to be found on the location. Bry speculated that the bones must have belonged to a "sea monster" and supplied "a piece having the appearance of a tooth" to help determine which kind.