Xenacanthus
| Xenacanthus Temporal range:  | |
|---|---|
| Skeletal reconstruction of Xenacanthus decheni, drawn in 1909 | |
| Life restoration of Xenacanthus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota | 
| Kingdom: | Animalia | 
| Phylum: | Chordata | 
| Class: | Chondrichthyes | 
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii | 
| Order: | †Xenacanthida | 
| Family: | †Xenacanthidae | 
| Genus: | †Xenacanthus Beyrich, 1848 | 
| Type species | |
| Xenacanthus decheni | |
| Species | |
| See text | |
| Synonyms | |
| Pleuracanthus Agassiz 1837 | |
Xenacanthus (from Ancient Greek ξένος, xénos, 'foreign, alien' + ἄκανθος, akanthos, 'spine') is an extinct genus of xenacanth cartilaginous fish. It lived in freshwater environments, and fossils of various species have been found worldwide.