Ichthyodectes

Extinct genus of fishes

Ichthyodectes
Temporal range: Coniacian-Campanian
~89–70 Ma
PreꞒ
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Ichthyodectes ctenodon
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Ichthyodectiformes
Family: Ichthyodectidae
Subfamily: Ichthyodectinae
Genus: Ichthyodectes
Cope, 1870
Species

See text

Ichthyodectes is an extinct genus of ichthyodectid fish which lived during the Late Cretaceous. Fossils of the species included have been found from Canada to Texas.

Description

Ichthyodectes ctenodon ("fish biter with comb teeth") was an ichthyodectid over 3 m (9.8 ft) in length.[1] It lived in the Western Interior Seaway of North America during the late Cretaceous. It was closely related to the 4–6 m (13–20 ft) long Xiphactinus audax, and the 2 m (6 ft 7 in) 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.[citation needed]

Species

Ichthyodectes anaides, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
  • I. acanthicus
  • I. anaides
  • I. arcuatus
  • I. cruentus
  • I. ctenodon
  • I. elegans
  • I. goodeanus
  • I. hamatus
  • I. libanicus
  • I. minor
  • I. multidentatus
  • I. parvus
  • I. perniciosus
  • I. prognathus
  • I. tenuidens

References

  1. ^ "Huge Ichthyodectes Fish Fossil from Kansas". The Virtual Fossil Museum. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Teleostei sensu de Pinna, 1996 (= Teleosteomorpha)
Actinopterygii
    • see Actinopterygii
Neopterygii
    • see Neopterygii
Teleostei
    • see below↓
Pachycormidae
Aspidorhynchidae
Pholidophoridae
sensu stricto
Archaeomaenidae
Siyuichthyidae
  • Bogdaichthys
  • Dsungarichthys
  • Manasichthys
  • Siyuichthys
  • Wukangia
Pleuropholidae
Ankylophoridae
Catervariolidae
Teleosts with
cycloid scales
    • see below↓
Otolith taxa
  • Archengraulis
  • Bicavolithus
  • Doggerichthys
  • Sphaeronchus
  • Xenoleptolepis
Leedsichthys problematicus

Aspidorhynchus acutirostris

Ichthyokentema purbeckensis
Leptolepidae
Luisiellidae
Ascalaboidae
Crossognathiformes
Varasichthyidae?
Notelopidae
  • Bavarichthys?
  • Michin?
  • Notelops
  • Nusaviichthys
Crossognathidae
Pachyrhizodontidae
Ichthyodectiformes
Chuhsiungichthyidae
Bardackichthyidae
Cladocyclidae
Ichthyodectidae
Saurodontidae
Crown-Teleostei
    • see below↓
Tharsis dubius

Luisichthys vinalesensis

Xiphactinus audax
Elopomorpha
    • see Elopomorpha
Orthogonikleithridae
Osteoglossomorpha
    • see Osteoglossomorpha
Tselfatiiformes
  • Eoplethodus
Protobramidae
Plethodidae
Clupeocephala
Pentanogmius evolutus
Taxon identifiers
Ichthyodectes


Stub icon

This article about a prehistoric ray-finned fish is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e