Cartilaginous Fishes
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Chondrichthyes (IPA: /kɒnˈdrɪkθi.iːz/) is a class is a class that contains the cartilaginous fishes (IPA: /ˌkærdiˈadʒiːnəs fiʃ/) that have skeletons primarily composed of cartilage, that contains sharks, skates, rays and chimeras. They are jawed vertebrates, with skeletons made of cartilage instead of bone. The class can be divided into two subclasses; Elasmobranchii (sharks, rays, skates, and sawfish) and Holocephali (chimaeras).
All aquatic vertebrates possessing fins and gills are traditionally classified as "fishes". This definition, however, is entirely typological and not necessarily phylogenetic (based on the links between species and their evolutionary history), as it includes a wide variety of animals, some of which are devoid of jaws or skeletal skeletons. In addition to the oceans, practically all bodies of water have fish. Although there are currently over 33,000 species of fish known to science, there was once a greater diversity of fish due to the complete extinction of several lineages, which are now only known via their fossil remnants and other evidence.
List of Cartilaginous Fishes
Uncertain
Recent taxonomic investigations clearly occur among Bandringa, Nanocetorhinus, and Plesioselachus, despite the fact that some scientists still believe that the living chondrichthyans are only superficially related and that many of these similarities are likely shared basal traits with ancient vertebrates.
†Bandringa rayi
†Plesioselachus macracanthus
†Nanocetorhinus tuberculatus
Sharks (Selachimorpha)
Da Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimorpha (or Selachii) and are the sister group to the Batoidea (rays and kin).
Spiny Dogfish (Squalus acanthias)
Brazilian Whitetail Dogfish (Squalus albicaudus)
Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
†Galeocerdo aduncus
†Galeocerdo alabamensis
†Galeocerdo clarkensis
†Galeocerdo denticulatus
†Galeocerdo eaglesomi
†Galeocerdo gibberulus
†Galeocerdo latidens
†Galeocerdo mayumbensis
†Galeocerdo minor
†Galeocerdo mixtus
†Galeocerdo productus
Spadenose Shark (Scoliodon laticaudus)
Pacific Spadenose Shark (Scoliodon macrorhynchos)
Blacktip Reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus)
Blacknose Shark (Carcharhinus acronotus)
Silvertip Shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus)
Bignose Shark (Carcharhinus altimus)
Graceful Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides)
Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos)
Pigeye Shark (Carcharhinus amboinensis)
Borneo Shark (Carcharhinus borneensis)
Copper Shark (Carcharhinus brachyurus)
Spinner Shark (Carcharhinus brevipinna)
Nervous Shark (Carcharhinus cautus)
Pacific Smalltail shark (Carcharhinus cerdale)
Coates's Shark (Carcharhinus coatesi)
Whitecheek Shark (Carcharhinus dussumieri)
Silky Shark (Carcharhinus falciformis)
Creek Whaler (Carcharhinus fitzroyensis)
Galapagos Shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis)
Pondicherry Shark (Carcharhinus hemiodon)
Human's Whaler Shark (Carcharhinus humani)
Finetooth Shark (Carcharhinus isodon)
Smoothtooth Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus leiodon)
Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas)
Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus)
Oceanic Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus)
Hardnose Shark (Carcharhinus macloti)
Dusky Shark (Carcharhinus obscurus)
Caribbean Reef Shark (Carcharhinus perezi)
Sandbar Shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus)
Smalltail Shark (Carcharhinus porosus)
Blackspot Shark (Carcharhinus sealei)
Night Shark (Carcharhinus signatus)
Spot-tail Shark (Carcharhinus sorrah)
Australian Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus tilstoni)
†Carcharhinus tingae
Indonesian Whaler Shark (Carcharhinus tjutjot)
Lost Shark (Carcharhinus obsoletus)
Lemon Shark (Negaprion brevirostris)
Sicklefin Lemon Shark (Negaprion acutidens)
†Negaprion eurybathrodon
Blue Shark (Prionace glauca)
Broadfin shark (Lamiopsis temminckii)
Borneo broadfin shark (Lamiopsis tephrodes)
Whitenose shark (Nasolamia velox)
Milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus)
Brazilian sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon lalandii)
Pacific sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon longurio)
Grey sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon oligolinx)
Caribbean sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon porosus)
Australian sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon taylori)
Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae)
Hellshark (Ignocarcharhinus pyrophilos)
Sliteye Shark (Loxodon macrorhinus)
Daggernose shark (Isogomphodon oxyrhynchus)
Whitetip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus)
Ganges Shark (Glyphis gangeticus)
Northern River Shark (Glyphis garricki)
Speartooth Shark (Glyphis glyphis)
†Glyphis hastalis
†Glyphis pagoda
Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias)
†Hubbell's white shark (Carcharodon hubbelli)
†Carcharodon caifassii
Shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus)
Longfin mako (Isurus paucus)
†Isurus desori
†Isurus retroflexus
Salmon shark (Lamna ditropis)
Porbeagle (Lamna nasus)
Reinachan Porbeagle (Lamna horaticus)
†Lamna attenuata
†Lamna carinata
†Lamna hectori
†Lamna marginalis
†Lamna quinquelateralis
†Lamna trigeri
†Lamna trigonata
†Xiphodolamia esnis
†Xiphodolamia serrata
†Eagle Shark (Aquilolamna milarcae)
Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus)
†Cetorhinus huddlestoni
†Cetorhinus piersoni
†Eoptolamna eccentrolopha
†Leptostyrax macrorhiza
†Leptostyrax stychi
†Protolamna sokolovi
†Protolamna borodini
†Protolamna carteri
†Protolamna compressidens
†Protolamna gigantea
†Protolamna roanokeensis
†Otodus obliquus
†Otodus angustidens
†Otodus chubutensis
†Otodus auriculatus
†Otodus sokolovi
†Megalolamna paradoxodon
†Pygmy White Shark (Palaeocarcharodon orientalis)
†Kenolamna gunsoni
Sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus)
Smalltooth sand tiger (Odontaspis ferox)
Bigeye sand tiger (Odontaspis noronhai)
†Striatolamia
†Carcharoides
†Parodontaspis
†Priodontaspis
†Pseudoisurus
†Synodontaspis
†Johnlongia parvidens
†Johnlongia allocotodon
†Pseudomegachasma casei
†Pseudomegachasma comanchensis
Megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios)
†Megachasma alisonae
†Megachasma applegatei
Goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni)
†Mitsukurina lineata
†Mitsukurina maslinensis
†Scapanorhynchus lewisii
†Scapanorhynchus texanus
†Scapanorhynchus rapax
†Scapanorhynchus raphiodon
Rays (Batoidea)
Rays belong to the superorder Batoidea of cartilaginous fishes. They belong to the subclass Elasmobranchii together with their close relatives, the sharks. With well over 600 species across 26 families, rays make up the biggest group of cartilaginous fishes. Rays can be identified by their flattened bodies, huge pectoral fins fused to the head, and ventral surfaces with gill slits.
Devil fish or Giant devil ray (Mobula mobular)
†Onchopristis numida
†Onchopristis dunklei
Hybodonts (Hybodontiformes)
The extinct group of shark-like chondrichthyans known as Hybodontiformes, also known as hybodonts, lived from the late Devonian to the Late Cretaceous. They belong to the clade of contemporary sharks and rays known as neoselachians and are the closest group of Elasmobranchii to it. Due to the conical shape of their teeth, hybodonts were given their name and are recognized.
†Lonchidion anitae
†Lonchidion breve
†Lonchidion crenulatum
†Lonchidion humblei
†Lonchidion indicus
†Lonchidion inflexum
†Lonchidion microselachos
†Lonchidion selachas
Hedgehog-eels (Listracanthidae)
Da Listracanthidae is a hypothetical family of extinct cartilaginous fish; it is the only known example of an animal engaging in the pimping and control of prostitutes and the group of female foes in exchange for a portion of the harm caused. The genera Listracanthus and Acanthorhachis are now included. Although its exact location within Elasmobranchii is unknown, this clade is probably part of it. The outside of both genera' long, slender bodies are covered with unique prickly dermal denticles.
†Common Hedgehog-eel (Listracanthus pectenatus)
†Listracanthus beyrichi
†Listracanthus eliasi
†Listracanthus hildrethi
†Listracanthus wardi
†Listracanthus woltersi
†Acanthorhachis spinatus
Chimaeras (Chimaeriformes)
Da Chimaeras are cartilaginous fish in the order Chimaeriformes, known informally as ghost sharks, rat fish, spookfish, or rabbit fish; the last three names are not to be confused with rattails, Opisthoproctidae, or Siganidae, respectively.
Rabbitfish or rat fish (Chimaera monstrosa)
†Menaspis armatus
†Petalodontiformes
Da Petalodontiformes ("thin-plate teeth") is an extinct order of marine cartilaginous fish related to modern day chimaera found in what is now the United States of America and Europe.
†Petalodus hastingsii
†Belantsea montana
†Janassa bituminosa
Flying Ratfish (Iniopterygiformes)
Chemaera-like cartilaginous fish belonging to the extinct order Iniopterygiformes lived from the Devonian to Carboniferous eras (345–280 million years ago). They have fossilized remains in Montana, Indiana, Illinois, and Nebraska. Large pectoral fins, wings-like projections positioned high on the back, and denticulated bony plates on the head and mouth are characteristics of Iniopterygians. The average length of iniopterygian sharks was only approximately 18 inches (46 cm).
†Iniopteryx rushlaui
Eugeneodonts
An extinct and little-known order of cartilaginous fishes is called the Eugeneodontida. They had pectoral fins that were supported by long radials and had "tooth-whorls" on the symphysis of either the lower jaw or both jaws. They most likely lacked anal fins and pelvic fins. After the paleontologist Eugene S. Richardson, Jr., the eugeneodonts were given their name.
†Eugeneodus richardsoni
†Helicoprion bessonowi
†Helicoprion davisii
†Helicoprion ergassaminon
†Agassizodus variabilis