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A Classification of Sharks
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Starting from the top, sharks are classified as:
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Kingdom Phylum Subphylum Class Subclass Order |
Animalia Chordata Vertebrata Chondrichthyes Elasmobranchii Selachii |
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There are five suborders of sharks: Hexanchiformes, Pristioformes,
Squatiniformes, Galeiformes, and Squaliformes. Within each of those
suborders are multiple families and genuses, as listed below. Examples
of individual species are listed by common name in parentheses.
This is a provisional classification of sharks obtained from Richard Ellis'
The Book of Sharks. As Ellis states, "My systematic list
is scientific only in that it is homogenized from other classifications . . . I am
sure there will be those who disagree with the system I have proposed. That is
what taxonomy is all about."
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Suborder Hexanchiformes |
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Family Hexanchidae (six-gilled and seven-gilled sharks) | ||
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Genus Hexanchus (six-gill sharks) Genus Heptranchias (sharpnose sevengills) Genus Notorynchus (broadnose sevengills) |
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Family Chlamydoselachidae | ||
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Genus Chlamydoselachus (frilled shark) | |
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Family Heterodontidae | ||
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Genus Heterodontus (hornsharks) | |
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Suborder Pristioformes |
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Family Pristiophoridae (sawsharks) | ||
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Genus Pristiophorus (five-gill sawshark) Genus Pliotrema (six-gill sawshark) |
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Suborder Squatiniformes |
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Family Squatinidae | ||
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Genus Squatina (angel sharks, monk sharks) | |
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Suborder Galeiformes |
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Family Odontaspidae | ||
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Genus Carcharias (sand tiger, grey nurse, ragged-tooth) | |
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Family Mitsukurinidae | ||
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Genus Mitsukurina (goblin shark) | |
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Family Isuridae (mackerel sharks) | ||
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Genus Lamna (porbeagle) Genus Isurus (mako) Genus Carcharodon (white shark) |
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Family Cetorhinidae | ||
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Genus Cetorhinus (basking shark) | |
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Family Alopiidae | ||
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Genus Alopias (thresher sharks) | |
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Family Orectolobidae | ||
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Genus Ginglymostoma (nurse shark) Genus Nebrius (tawny shark) Genus Stegostoma (zebra shark) Genus Orectolobus (carpet sharks, wobbegongs) Genus Eucrossorhinus (wobbegong) Genus Sutorectus (wobbegong) Genus Chiloscyllium (spotted catsharks, banded catsharks) Genus Hemiscyllium (epaulette sharks) Genus Brachaelurus (blind shark) Genus Heteroscyllium (Colclough's shark) Genus Cirrhoscyllium Genus Parascyllium (catsharks) |
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Family Rhincodontidae | ||
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Genus Rhincodon (whale shark) | |
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Family Scyliorhinidae (catsharks) | ||
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Genus Apristurus Genus Atelomycterus Genus Cephaloscyllium (swell sharks) Genus Cephalurus (head shark) Genus Dichichthys Genus Galeus Genus Halaelurus Genus Haploblepharus Genus Parmaturus (filetail catshark) Genus Pentanchus Genus Poroderna Genus Schroederichthys Genus Scyliorhinus (catshark, dogfish) |
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Family Pseudotriakidae | ||
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Genus Pseudotriakis (false catsharks) | |
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Family Triakidae | ||
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Genus Scylliogaleus Genus Furgaleus Genus Hemitriakis Genus Mustelus (smoothhound, smooth dogfish) Genus Triakis (leopard shark, smooth dogfish) Genus Iago Genus Galeorhinus (tepe, soupfin, school shark) Genus Hypogaleus |
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Family Hemigaleidae | ||
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Genus Chaenogaleus Genus Hemigaleus Genus Paragaleus |
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Family Carcharhinidae (gray sharks, reef sharks, requiem sharks) | ||
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Genus Galeocerdo (tiger shark) Genus Prionace (blue shark) Genus Sciolodon (sharpnosed shark) Genus Loxodon Genus Rhizoprionodon (sharpnosed shark) Genus Aprionodon (finetooth shark) Genus Negaprion (lemon shark) Genus Hypoprion (night shark) Genus Carcharhinus (gray sharks, reef sharks, requiem sharks, etc.) Genus Isogomphodon Genus Triaenodon (reef whitetip) |
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Family Sphymidae | ||
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Genus Sphyrna (hammerheads, bonnet-heads, etc.) | |
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Suborder Squaliformes |
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Family Echinorhinidae | ||
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Genus Echinorhinus (bramble shark, prickly shark) | |
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Family Oxynotus | ||
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Genus Oxynotus (prickly dogfish) | |
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Family Squalidae | ||
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Genus Squalus (spiny dogfish) Genus Centroscyllium (black dogfish) Genus Etmopterus Genus Centrophorus Genus Cirrhigaleus Genus Deania Genus Centroscymnus (Portuguese shark) Genus Scymnodon |
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Family Dalatiidae | ||
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Genus Dalatias Genus Euprotomicrus Genus Isistius (luminous shark) Genus Squaliolus (dwarf shark) Genus Heteroscymnoides Genus Somniosus (Greenland shark, sleeper sharks) |
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Family Megachasmidae | ||
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Genus Megachasma ("megamouth") | |
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