What range of routine adult body lengths, in feet, were commonly attributed to *Xiphactinus*?
Answer
10 to 13 feet
The general agreement among paleontologists regarding the size of *Xiphactinus* places its routine length between 10 and 13 feet, which translates roughly to 3 to 4 meters. While there are less certain estimations suggesting potential maximum sizes approaching 16 feet, the core consensus centers on this decade-long measurement. To illustrate the magnitude, a 13-foot individual could easily approach 500 pounds, establishing it as a top-tier predator whose size significantly exceeded that of most modern coastal marine predators.
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