Ichthyodectes

Ichthyodectes Temporal range: Coniacian-Campanian ~
Ichthyodectes ctenodon
Scientific classification
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 ray-finned fish which lived during the Late Cretaceous. Fossils of the species included have been found from Canada to Texas.

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.