25" Fossil Xiphactinus Skull - Terror Of The Inland Seaway

83 million years ago the fearsome, predatory fish Xiphactinus audax terrorized the inland seaways of what is now Kansas. Reaching sizes of up to 15-20 feet long this veracious predatory, resembled a gargantuan, fanged tarpon.

This is a real, 25" long fossil skull of Xiphactinus audax collected from the Smoky Hills Chalk of Gove County, Kansas. The lower jaw measures 9.5" long and the entire fish would have been 9-10 feet in length. The skull has excellent depth and relief against the matrix. There are a total of 29 real teeth, most in excellent condition, plus 5 articulated vertebrae. The largest tooth is 1 1/2" long. The cranial crest is present and articulated. Several ribs and five articulated cervical vertebrae are present.

Trauma in the posterior area of the scull indicates that sharks and other scavengers likely ate the body of the fish. There is less than 5% restoration in the form of crack fills and stabilization of the bone.

The chalk the skull was originally found in is fragile, so the skull has been mounted on an artificial matrix of plaster and ground of chalk from the location giving it a similar texture to the rock. It has mounting hardware installed so it can easily be hung on a wall.

This specimen will be shipped via freight in a custom crate. The shipping cost will be billed after purchase. Please inquire if you need a shipping quote or to arrange payment.

Xiphactinus has appeared in the BBC's Sea Monsters and National Geographic's Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure as well as being labelled a "Prehistoric Terror" in River Monsters.