Ichthyodectes
{{Short description|Extinct genus of ray-finned fishes}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = Coniacian-Campanian
~{{fossil range|89|70}}
| image = Ichthyodectes ctenodon 2.jpg
| image_caption = Ichthyodectes ctenodon
| taxon = Ichthyodectes
| authority = Cope, 1870
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = See text
}}
Ichthyodectes is an extinct genus of ichthyodectid ray-finned 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 {{cvt|3|m}} in length.{{cite web|url=http://www.fossilmuseum.net/fishfossils/ichthyodectes/ichthyodectes.htm|title=Huge Ichthyodectes Fish Fossil from Kansas|website=The Virtual Fossil Museum|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826165538/http://www.fossilmuseum.net/fishfossils/ichthyodectes/ichthyodectes.htm|archive-date=26 August 2022|url-status=live}} It lived in the Western Interior Seaway of North America during the late Cretaceous. It was closely related to the {{cvt|4|-|6|m}} long Xiphactinus audax, and the {{cvt|2|m}} 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.{{cn|date=December 2019}}
Species
File:Ichthyodectes anaides.jpg
{{div col|colwidth=29em}}
- 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
{{div col end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Ichthyodectiformes}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q143700}}
Category:Prehistoric ray-finned fish genera
Category:Coniacian genus first appearances
Category:Campanian genus extinctions
Category:Late Cretaceous fish of North America
Category:Fossil taxa described in 1870
Category:Taxa named by Edward Drinker Cope
{{Ichthyodectiformes-stub}}