Haematodus

Haematodus is a genus of extinct ray-finned fish that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 99 to 66 million years ago. The name "Haematodus" is derived from the Greek words "haima," meaning blood, and "odus," meaning tooth, reflecting the distinctive blood-red teeth of these fish. Haematodus is known from fossil remains found in North America, particularly in the Western Interior Seaway, and is considered one of the largest known ray-finned fish, with some species reaching lengths of up to 10 meters.

Haematodus had a robust body with a large, triangular head and a long, slender snout. Its most distinctive feature was its large, blood-red teeth, which were likely used for crushing the shells of mollusks and other hard-shelled prey. Haematodus also had a large, triangular fin on its back, which was likely used for swimming and maneuvering. The fish had a single, large dorsal fin and a pair of anal fins, as well as a pair of pectoral fins and a pair of pelvic fins.

Haematodus is believed to have been a filter feeder, using its large mouth and teeth to crush and consume small, hard-shelled prey. It is thought to have lived in shallow, coastal waters, where it could feed on a variety of mollusks and other small, hard-shelled organisms. Haematodus is an important fossil for understanding the evolution of ray-finned fish and the diversity of marine life during the Late Cretaceous period.