Xiphactinus was one of the most extreme fish of the Late Cretaceous, living around 100–66 million years ago. This giant predatory bony fish reached up to 6 meters (20 ft) in length and weighed around 400 kg (880 lbs). It ruled the Western Interior Seaway that once split North America in two. Fossils show Xiphactinus swallowed prey whole—including a 3-meter (10 ft) fish found preserved inside its stomach. That meal likely killed it, creating one of the most famous “last meal” fossils ever discove

Xiphactinus vertebral column celebration! One of my favorite #Xiphactinus mounts, this at the Mountain America Museum of Ancient Life in Lehi, Utah. The lighting is top notch, conveying a twilit world fraught with danger, enhanced by the presence of mosasaurs. a large elasmosaur, and a variety of other toothy beasts!. Xiphactinus lived in the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway of Kansas, but it has been found across the world. Which makes sense for a ferocious, effective predator, look how