Carcharhiniformes or ground sharks constitute the largest order of sharks, with more than 270 species. Among them are some common types like the cat shark, the swell shark, and the sandbar shark.
They are an order of elasmobranchs selachians, a subclass within the cartilaginous fishes or chondrichthyans (class Chondrichthyes).
One of the distinctive features of the members of this order is the presence of a nictitating membrane over the eye, as well as having two dorsal fins, an anal fin, and five gill slits.
A review of the families of the order Carcharhiniformes is anticipated; recent DNA studies indicate that some of the traditional groups are not monophyletic.
The oldest members of the order appeared during the Middle-Late Jurassic, presenting teeth and body forms that morphologically resemble modern cat sharks. The carcharhiniforms began significant diversification during the Late Cretaceous, initially as small-sized forms, and then evolved into medium and large body sizes during the Cenozoic.
Índice de Contenidos
Carcharhiniformes Families
The nine families of sharks within Carcharhiniformes are:
- Carcharhinidae (requiem sharks).
- Galeocerdonidae (tiger shark).
- Hemigaleidae (weasel sharks).
- Leptochariidae (barbeled houndshark).
- Proscylliidae (finback catsharks).
- Pseudotriakidae (false catsharks).
- Scyliorhinidae (cat sharks).
- Sphyrnidae (hammerhead sharks).
- Triakidae (houndsharks).
Clarifications about the Carcharhiniformes Shark Families
While some sources indicate that the family Galeocerdonidae is composed of the single species Galeocerdonidae with the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier), other sources historically include it within Carcharhinidae along with the requiem sharks.
Carcharhiniformes Sharks You Should Know
See Also
It is possible to consult the other seven orders of sharks:
- Lamniformes.
- Orectolobiformes.
- Hexanchiformes.
- Squaliformes.
- Pristiophoriformes.
- Squatiniformes.
- Heterodontiformes.