Ophactodon

Ophactodon is a genus of extinct teleost fish that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. Fossils of Ophactodon have been found in what is now North America. The genus is known from several described species, including Ophactodon americanus. These fish were part of a diverse marine fauna that inhabited the shallow seas covering much of the continent during this era. Ophactodon is classified within the order Ophidiiformes, which includes modern-day cusk-eels and brotulas. Like its modern relatives, Ophactodon likely possessed an elongated, eel-like body. Its diet is not definitively known, but based on the anatomy of related fish, it may have been a predator of small invertebrates or other small fish. The fossil record provides limited information about its specific ecological role or behavior. The study of Ophactodon contributes to our understanding of the evolution and diversification of teleost fish during the Mesozoic Era, a period that saw significant changes in marine ecosystems following the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea and the development of new oceanic seaways.