Xiphactinus Large Fossil Fish Skull Wall Display

This is a professional fossil fish skull reproduction of Xiphactinus. This visually engaging wall display makes a stunning accent to any wall home office or museum display. Xiphactinus is an extinct predatory fish found in Late Cretaceous deposits of North America and Europe.

These large prehistoric fish were voracious predators in the ancient late Cretaceous Ocean. Some skeletons reached a length of 18 feet or more and weighted up to 800 lbs. Their powerful jaws and tails made them formidable, efficient predators. They are easily recognized by their fang-like teeth and elongated body, superficially resembling a modern tarpon. They sometimes swallowed their prey whole.

During the Late Cretaceous, North America was divided by a great inland sea known as the Western Interior Seaway. This Interior Seaway stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Circle. Vast layers of chalk were deposited in this shallow sea, leading to the remarkable preservation of its inhabitants. The chalk beds of western Kansas, known as the Niobrara Formation are world famous for yielding some of the finest fossils of the Late Cretaceous time such as marine and flying reptiles, birds, fish, sharks and invertebrates.

This is a replica of an 80 million year old specimen found in the Niobrara Formation of western Kansas. The original fossil was discovered and prepared by famed fossil hunter George F. Sternberg. Sternberg collected extensively in the chalk deposits of Kansas, providing many museums with display specimens and greatly contributed a wealth of knowledge about the Niobrara Formation.

This replica was cast from the original fossil material with exclusive permission from the Fick Fossil and History Museum.

This is a professional museum quality reproduction.

Size: About 27" H X 29" W X 1 3/4" D. Weight of Display: About 9 lbs.

Ships with original information tag and professional hangar.

Xiphactinus makes an awesome, amazing wall display for that special wall that begs for a fossil that is truly amazing!

This Xiphactinus fossil fish skull is a professional reproduction and ships with a Certificate of Authenticity.