"Wow, that's a big fish!" This is usually the response from people that see this giant fish fossil. This skull, a cast from an exceptionally well preserved Xiphactinus fossil, has a mouth full of menacing sharp teeth! Known as the "bulldog fish", this Xiphactinus is one of only a few copies of the only three-dimensional displays of the Xiphactinus (all others are considered two-dimensional, are referred to as being "in situ").

The Xiphactinus is one of the most common fossils found in Kansas. This should be staggering to most readers, because Kansas is a land locked state, miles from the nearest ocean.