1.4" Xiphactinus Audax Fossil Vertebrae Cretaceous Era Fish Niobrara FM Kansas

Location: Niobrara Formation, Gove County, Kansas

Weight: 0.3 Ounces 

Dimensions: 1.4 Inches Long, 1.1 Inches Wide, 0.5 Inches Thick

Late Cretaceous, 83 million years old

The item pictured is the one you will receive.

This is a real fossil

Xiphactinus Audax was among the largest bony fish during the Late Cretaceous and is recognized as one of the most formidable marine predators of its era. Its strong tail and large, wing-shaped pectoral fins enabled this 17-foot (5-meter) fish to swiftly navigate the ancient ocean’s surface. Prey such as smaller fish and seabirds were captured by its distinctive upturned jaws, lined with enormous fang-like teeth, giving the species a bulldog-like appearance. Individuals measuring around 13 feet (4 meters) could gape wide enough to swallow fish up to six feet (two meters) long whole. Despite its dominance, Xiphactinus was occasionally hunted by the shark Cretoxyrhina. This species inhabited the Western Interior Seaway, a vast inland sea that covered much of central North America in the Cretaceous. Were it extant today, Xiphactinus would resemble an immense tarpon equipped with formidable fangs.