What factor might have gradually caused the final disappearance of Xenacanthus in the Early Cretaceous?

Answer

Increased competition from rapidly diversifying bony fishes (Teleostei)

The reign of the Xenacanthiformes ended by the Early Cretaceous Period. While the exact cause of the final disappearance remains a subject of ongoing paleontological investigation, a leading theory centers on ecological replacement. During the Mesozoic era, bony fishes, specifically the rapidly diversifying Teleostei, gained increasing ecological dominance in both marine and freshwater systems. It is hypothesized that this increased competition gradually squeezed the highly specialized, freshwater-reliant *Xenacanthus* out of its established ecological niches, leading to the absorption of its former role by these newer, evolutionarily more successful inhabitants of ancient river systems.

What factor might have gradually caused the final disappearance of Xenacanthus in the Early Cretaceous?

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