Ichthyodectes ctenodon

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Ichthyodectes ctenodon
Fossil range: Late Cretaceous

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Pachycormiformes
Family: Ichthyodectidae
Subfamily: Ichthyodectinae
Genus: Ichthyodectes
Species: I. ctenodon
Binomial name
Ichthyodectes ctenodon

Ichthyodectes ctenodon ("Fish Biter (with) Comb Teeth") was a 4-meter long ichthyodectid. It lived in the Western Interior Seaway during the late Cretaceous. It was closely related to the 4 to 6 meter long Xiphactinus audax, and the 2-meter long Gillicus arcuatus, and like other ichthyodectids, I. ctenodon is presumed to have been a swift predator of smaller fish. As its species name suggests, I. ctenodon had small, uniformly sized teeth, as did its smaller relative, G. arcuatus, and may have simply sucked suitably sized prey into its mouth.