How large was the specific Gillicus found inside the Xiphactinus specimen relative to the predator?
Answer
Roughly one-third the total body length of the Xiphactinus
The finding of an intact Gillicus within a Xiphactinus skeleton provided invaluable data regarding the predator's capabilities. The preserved prey measured approximately one-third of the Xiphactinus's total body length. This size disparity is astonishing because it confirms that Xiphactinus regularly consumed prey items that were substantially large relative to its own body mass, demonstrating a feeding mechanism that bypassed traditional tearing or chewing methods.
Related Questions
What type of massive predator was Xiphactinus in terms of skeletal classification?Which common victim appears frequently cited as a favored meal for Xiphactinus?How large was the specific Gillicus found inside the Xiphactinus specimen relative to the predator?What consistent fossil evidence defines the dramatic method of consumption utilized by Xiphactinus?What feeding capability did Xiphactinus demonstrate regarding prey size compared to its own head?What was Xiphactinus's ecological status among predatory Osteichthyes in its environment?What crucial detail is noted about the contemporary fish Ichthyodectes and Protosphyraena?To which modern ecological roles is the feeding strategy of Xiphactinus sometimes analogized?What environmental condition characterized the seas where Xiphactinus thrived and required substantial prey?What characteristic suggests Xiphactinus had a highly specialized oral structure for consumption?