What do helicoprion eat?

The diet of _Helicoprion_ remains uncertain. It is classified under Holocephali, a class of fish that includes today's ratfish and chimaera. Most modern holocephalans are mesopredatory, meaning that they are predators of other predators, and mostly use biting or crushing jaws to capture and subdue their prey. Most living ratfish are demersal, meaning they live on or close to the bottom of the ocean, and prey on animals like bony fish and crustaceans. Most chimaeras are benthic, meaning they live on or close to the bottom of the ocean, and prey on animals like squid, fish, and crustaceans. Given these diets of modern-day holocephalans, many researchers suggest it's likely that _Helicoprion_, or at least juvenile _Helicoprion_, fed on prey like mollusks, arthropods, and possibly smaller-bodied vertebrates. Additionally, based on bite marks left by _Helicoprion_ on prey remains, it is likely that they used the saw blade-like tooth whorl on their lower jaw to slash prey before swallowing it whole.