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The taxonomy of sharks and rays is a subject that remains in hot debate.
Although the majority of elasmobranch families have been nailed down there
will always be individual species that don't quite fit the characteristics
of their sibling species. Consequently species are occasionally reclassified
or simply listed as awaiting review. One of the most confusing of families
is the Potamotrygonidae - the fresh water stingrays of South America. Not
only do these ray species adopt extremely varied patterns that are sometimes
visually indistinguishable from other species, they also produce hybrids in
certain parts of their ranges leaving us wondering what exactly a true
species is anyway.
Among shark taxonomists conservative estimates of the number of known shark
species is now approaching 500. Combined with the 700 or more species of
rays and skates there are well over a thousand valid species of
elasmobranches. In the past many more species were described only to be
discounted later as being synonymous with elasmobranches already described
from other geographic areas. In recent years this problem has lessened
because taxonomic data has become easier to share over the internet.
However, taxonomists are as vain as the rest of us and their efforts to be
the first to describe (and name) a new species there is often a
counterproductive lack of collaboration.
Some abyssal species have been described from only one or two specimens
captured during deep water trawls. This implies that in all likelihood there
are a number of shark and ray species lurking on the abyssal plain that have
not yet been seen or captured. The best example being the relatively recent
discovery of the Megamouth Shark. If this large and slow moving shark could
remain hidden until the 1980's, who knows how many other elasmobranches have
gone unnoticed.
Following is a list (in need of an update) of all the described species of
elasmobranches. Included at the bottom are the Holocephali; the chimaeras or
ghost sharks that share many characteristics with modern sharks and rays but
are thought to be descended from a different group that thrived during the
Late Devonian Period.
Other pages on Elasmodiver relating to Shark and Ray taxonomy:
Newly described sharks and rays
Occasionally new species of sharks and rays are described by
science. In some cases they have been well known for a while e.g. the
Western wobbegong which is still awaiting study but occasionally a deep sea
trawl or a lucky diving expedition will uncover a species that the world was
completely unaware of. Elasmodiver now contains a section chronicling the
discovery of these species. If
you have information about a species I have overlooked please email me the information and
I will add it to the list.
Whiptail Stingrays
Includes a key to identifying the genus of the
Dasyatidae (Whiptail stingrays).
River
Stingrays
Includes a key to identifying the genus of the
Potamotrygonidae (River Stingrays).
KINGDOM METAZOA - Animals
PHYLUM CHORDATA - Animals
that at some point in their life cycle have the following: Pharyngeal slits
(a series of openings connecting the inside of the throat to the outside of the
neck. In fish these become gill slits), dorsal nerve cord (a bundle of
nerve fibres running down the back, connecting the brain with the organs and
extremities, a notochord (a cartilaginous rod supporting the nerve
cord), post anal tail (an extension of the 'back' past the anal opening).
SUBPHYLUM VERTEBRATA - Animals with
a vertibral column or backbone and neural crest cells which
are released as the
nerve cord is forming, these cells move through the body to form major nerves,
neural ganglia, and many head and facial features. Other features that separate
vertebrates from other chordates include: a relatively well-developed brain,
paired complex eyes, a muscularized mouth and pharynx, and a well-developed
circulatory system with a heart.
CLASS CHONDRICHTHYES - Cartilaginous
fishes lacking true bone. Chondrichthyes can be split into two distinct
subclasses ELASMOBRANCHII and BRADYODONTI.
SUBCLASS ELASMOBRANCHII
- SHARKS,
SKATES AND RAYS (and some fossil relatives). Elasmobranchs
have an upper jaw that is not fused to the braincase and separate slitted gill
openings.
SHARKS
JUMP TO Order HEXANCHIFORMES -
Sixgill, Sevengill
and Frilled Sharks
JUMP TO Order SQUALIFORMES - Dogfish Sharks
JUMP TO Order PRISTIOPHORIFORMES
- Sawsharks
JUMP TO Order SQUATINIFORMES - Angelsharks
JUMP TO Order HETERODONTIFORMES - Bullhead Sharks
JUMP TO Order ORECTOLOBIFORMES - Carpetsharks
JUMP TO Order LAMNIFORMES - Mackerel Sharks
JUMP TO Order CARCHARHINIFORMES - Ground Sharks
RAYS
JUMP TO Order TORPEDINIFORMES - Electric rays
JUMP TO Order MYLIOBATIFORMES -
Stingrays, Eagle rays, Butterfly rays, Devil rays, Cownose rays
JUMP TO Order PRISTIFORMES - Sawfishes
JUMP TO Order RHINOBATIFORMES -
Guitarfishes
SKATES
JUMP TO Order RAJIFORMES - Skates
CHIMAERAS
SUBCLASS HOLOCEPHALI
- includes
forms with an upper jaw fused to the braincase and a flap of skin, the
operculum, covering the gill slits. The Holocephalii includes the chimaeras and
ratfishes, which are relatively rare, often deep-water, mollusc-eating forms.
JUMP TO Order CHIMAERIFORMES - Chimaeras
Order HEXANCHIFORMES -
Sixgill, Sevengill
and Frilled Sharks
BACK TO TOP
Order SQUALIFORMES - Dogfish Sharks
BACK TO TOP
Order PRISTIOPHORIFORMES - Sawsharks
BACK TO TOP
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Family PRISTIOPHORIDAE
- Sawsharks
Five Species
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Pliotrema warreni
- Sixgill
sawshark
|
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Pristiophorus cirratus
- Longnose
sawshark
|
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Pristiophorus japonicus
- Japanese
sawshark
|
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Pristiophorus nudipinnis
-
Shortnose sawshark
|
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Pristiophorus schroederi
- Bahamas
sawshark
|
|
Order SQUATINIFORMES - Angelsharks
BACK TO TOP
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Family SQUATINIDAE
- Angelsharks
13 Species
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Squatina aculeata
- Sawback
angelshark
|
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Squatina africana
- African
angelshark
|
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Squatina argentina
- Argentine
angelshark
|
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Squatina australis
- Australian
angelshark
|
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Squatina californica
- Pacific
angelshark
|
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Squatina dumeril
- Sand devil
|
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Squatina formosa
- Taiwan
angelshark
|
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Squatina japonica
- Japanese
angelshark
|
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Squatina nebulosa
- Clouded
angelshark
|
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Squatina oculata
- Smoothback
angelshark
|
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Squatina squatina
- Common Angel Shark
|
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Squatina tergocellata
- Ornate
angelshark
|
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Squatina tergocellatoides
-
Ocellated angelshark
|
|
Order HETERODONTIFORMES - Bullhead Sharks
BACK TO TOP
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Family HETERODONTIDAE
- Bullhead sharks
Eight Species
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Heterodontus francisci
- Horn
shark
|
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Heterodontus galeatus
- Crested
bullhead shark
|
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Heterodontus japonicus
- Japanese
bullhead shark
|
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Heterodontus mexicanus
- Mexican
hornshark
|
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Heterodontus portusjacksoni
- Port
Jackson shark
|
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Heterodontus quoyi
- Galapagos
bullhead shark
|
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Heterodontus ramalheira
-
Whitespotted bullhead shark
|
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Heterodontus zebra
- Zebra
bullhead shark
|
|
Order ORECTOLOBIFORMES - Carpetsharks
BACK TO TOP
Order LAMNIFORMES - Mackerel Sharks
BACK TO TOP
Order CARCHARHINIFORMES - Ground Sharks
BACK TO TOP
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Family SCYLIORHINIDAE
- Catsharks
92 Species
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Apristurus atlanticus
- Atlantic
ghost catshark
|
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Apristurus brunneus
- Brown
catshark
|
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Apristurus canutus
- Hoary
catshark
|
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Apristurus federovi
- Federov's
catshark
|
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Apristurus herklotsi
- Longfin
catshark
|
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Apristurus indicus
- Smallbelly
catshark
|
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Apristurus investigatoris
-
Broadnose catshark
|
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Apristurus japonicus
- Japanese
catshark
|
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Apristurus kampae
- Longnose
catshark
|
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Apristurus laurussoni
- Iceland
catshark
|
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Apristurus longicephalus
-
Longhead catshark
|
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Apristurus macrorhynchus
-
Flathead catshark
|
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Apristurus maderensis
- Madeira
catshark
|
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Apristurus manis
- Ghost catshark
|
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Apristurus microps
- Smalleye
catshark
|
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Apristurus nasutus
- Largenose
catshark
|
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Apristurus parvipinnis
- Smallfin
catshark
|
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Apristurus pinguis
- Fat catshark
|
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Apristurus platyrhynchus
-
Spatulasnout catshark
|
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Apristurus profundorum
- Deepwater
catshark
|
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Apristurus riveri
- Broadgill
catshark
|
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Apristurus saldanha
- Saldanha
catshark
|
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Apristurus sibogae
- Pale catshark
|
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Apristurus sinensis
- South China
catshark
|
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Apristurus spongiceps
- Spongehead
catshark
|
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Apristurus stenseni
- Panama ghost
catshark
|
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Apristurus verweyi
- Borneo
catshark
|
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Asymbolus analis
- Australian
spotted catshark
|
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Asymbolus vincenti
- Gulf catshark
|
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Atelomycterus macleayi
-
Australian marbled catshark
|
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Atelomycterus marmoratus
- Coral
catshark
|
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Aulohalaelurus labiosus
-
Blackspotted catshark
|
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Cephaloscyllium fasciatum
-
Reticulated swellshark
|
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Cephaloscyllium isabellum
-
Draughtsboard shark
|
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Cephaloscyllium laticeps
-
Australian swellshark
|
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Cephaloscyllium nascione
-
Whitefinned swellshark
|
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Cephaloscyllium silasi
- Indian
swellshark
|
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Cephaloscyllium sufflans
- Balloon
shark
|
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Cephaloscyllium ventriosum
-
Swellshark
|
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Cephalurus cephalus
- Lollipop
catshark
|
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Galeus arae
- Roughtail catshark
|
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Galeus boardmani
- Australian
sawtail catshark
|
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Galeus eastmani
- Gecko catshark
|
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Galeus melastomus
- Blackmouth
catshark
|
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Galeus murinus
- Mouse catshark
|
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