Fossil Fish Skeleton. Xiphactinus audax. Cretaceous. Niobrara Formation. Kansas, USA. ...

Description

Fossil Fish Skeleton
Xiphactinus audax
Cretaceous
Niobrara Formation
Kansas, USA

Fashioned with metal hooks on the back to facilitate wire hanging, this specimen is obviously designed to be a display piece installed on a wall. This rather ominous-looking, partial skeleton consists of a skull and some post-cranial material, including part of the vertebral column, a paddle appendage, and some remnant rib bones. The fabricated matrix is 'soft' and stark in appearance. Xiphactinus was a predatory variety of fish that was a significant player in the Western Interior Seaway during the Cretaceous. This fossil, along with many other examples of that voracious genus, was found in Kansas. Known in the vernacular as the "Bulldog Fish" for obvious reasons, the tarpon-like creatures grew to as long as 20 feet (6 meters) and were one of the largest bony fish of its time. The fierce 'sea monster' was fast and could open its jaw wide, adding to its dominance of the ancient oceans it patrolled. This specimen is rather rustic but offers a natural look to the fossil material, which has been well preserved for millions of years. This is an oddity sure to be a conversation starter on any wall, and it certainly is a specimen with a big "fish story" to tell.
Measurements: 50.00 x 23.00 x 4.00 inches (127.00 x 58.42 x 10.16 cm)

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