Shark is the naming term of all members of Selachimorpha suborder in the subclass Elasmobranchii, in the class Chondrichthyes. The Elasmobranchii also include rays and skates; the Chondrichthyes also include Chimaeras. The first shark-like chondrichthyans appeared in the oceans more than 450 million years ago, developing into the crown group of sharks by the Early Jurassic.
Listed below are extant species of shark. Sharks are spread across 557 described and 23 undescribed species in eight orders. The families and genera within the orders are listed in alphabetical order. Also included is a field guide to place sharks into the correct order.
Cow and frilled sharks (2 Families) ORDER HEXANCHIFORMES Family Chlamydoselachidae (frilled sharks) Genus Chlamydoselachus Garman, 1884 Chlamydoselachus africana Ebert & L. J. V. Compagno, 2009 (Southern African frilled shark) Chlamydoselachus anguineus Garman, 1884 (frilled shark) Family Hexanchidae (cow sharks) Genus Heptranchias Rafinesque, 1810 Heptranchias perlo (Bonnaterre, 1788) (sharp-nose seven-gill shark) Genus Hexanchus Rafinesque, 1810 Hexanchus griseus (Bonnaterre, 1788) (blunt-nose six-gill shark) Hexanchus nakamurai Teng, 1962 (big-eyed six-gill shark) Hexanchus vitulus Springer and Waller, 1969 (Atlantic six-gill shark) Genus Notorynchus Ayres, 1855 Notorynchus cepedianus (Péron, 1807) (broad-nose seven-gill shark)
Dogfish sharks (7 families) ORDER SQUALIFORMES Family Centrophoridae (gulper sharks) Genus Centrophorus J. P. Müller & Henle, 1837 Centrophorus atromarginatus Garman, 1913 (dwarf gulper shark) Centrophorus granulosus Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801 (gulper shark) Centrophorus harrissoni McCulloch, 1915 (dumb gulper shark) Centrophorus lesliei White, 2017 (African gulper shark) Centrophorus longipinnis White, 2017 (Longfin gulper shark) Centrophorus moluccensis Bleeker, 1860 (small-fin gulper shark) Centrophorus seychellorum Baranes, 2003 (Seychelles gulper shark) Centrophorus squamosus Bonnaterre, 1788 (leaf-scale gulper shark) Centrophorus tessellatus Garman, 1906 (mosaic gulper shark) Centrophorus uyato Rafinesque, 1810 (little gulper shark) Centrophorus westraliensis W. T. White, Ebert & Compagno, 2008) (western gulper shark) Centrophorus zeehaani W. T. White, Ebert & L. J. V. Compagno, 2008 (southern dogfish) Centrophorus sp. A Not yet described (mini gulper shark) Centrophorus sp. B Not yet described (slender gulper shark) Genus Deania D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1902 Deania calcea R. T. Lowe, 1839 (bird-beak dogfish) Deania hystricosa Garman, 1906 (rough long-nose dogfish) Deania profundorum H. M. Smith & Radcliffe, 1912 (arrow-head dogfish) Deania quadrispinosa McCulloch, 1915 (long-snout dogfish) Family Dalatiidae (kite-fin sharks) Genus Dalatias Rafinesque, 1810 Dalatias licha Bonnaterre, 1788 (kite-fin shark) Genus Euprotomicroides Hulley & M. J. Penrith, 1966 Euprotomicroides zantedeschia Hulley & M. J. Penrith, 1966 (tail-light shark) Genus Euprotomicrus T. N. Gill, 1865 Euprotomicrus bispinatus Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 (pygmy shark) Genus Heteroscymnoides Fowler, 1934 Heteroscymnoides marleyi Fowler 1934 (long-nose pygmy shark) Genus Isistius T. N. Gill, 1865 Isistius brasiliensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 (cookiecutter shark) Isistius plutodus Garrick & S. Springer, 1964 (Large-tooth cookiecutter shark) Genus Mollisquama Dolganov, 1984 Mollisquama parini Dolganov, 1984 (pocket shark) Mollisquama mississippiensis Grace, 2019 (American pocket shark) Genus Squaliolus H. M. Smith & Radcliffe, 1912 Squaliolus aliae Teng, 1959 (small-eye pygmy shark) Squaliolus laticaudus H. M. Smith & Radcliffe, 1912 (spined pygmy shark) Family Echinorhinidae (bramble sharks) Genus Echinorhinus T. N. Gill, 1862 Echinorhinus brucus Bonnaterre, 1788 (bramble shark) Echinorhinus cookei Pietschmann, 1928 (prickly shark) Family Etmopteridae (lantern sharks) Genus Aculeola F. de Buen, 1959 Aculeola nigra F. de Buen, 1959 (hook-tooth dogfish) Genus Centroscyllium J. P. Müller & Henle, 1841 Centroscyllium excelsum Shirai & Nakaya, 1990 (high-fin dogfish) Centroscyllium fabricii J. C. H. Reinhardt, 1825 (black dogfish) Centroscyllium granulatum Günther, 1887 (granular dogfish) Centroscyllium kamoharai T. Abe, 1966 (bare-skin dogfish) Centroscyllium nigrum Garman, 1899 (comb-tooth dogfish) Centroscyllium ornatum Alcock, 1889 (ornate dogfish) Centroscyllium ritteri D. S. Jordan & Fowler, 1903 (white-fin dogfish) Genus Etmopterus Rafinesque, 1810 Etmopterus alphus Ebert, 2016 (Whitecheek lanternshark) Etmopterus baxteri Garrick, 1957 (New Zealand lanternshark) Etmopterus benchleyi V. E. Vásquez, Ebert & Long, 2015 (ninja lanternshark) Etmopterus bigelowi Shirai & Tachikawa, 1993 (blurred lanternshark) Etmopterus brachyurus Hugh McCormick Smith|H. M. Smith & Lewis Radcliffe|Radcliffe, 1912 (short-tail lanternshark) Etmopterus brosei Ebert, 2021 (Barrie's lanternshark) Etmopterus bullisi Bigelow & Schroeder, 1957 (lined lanternshark) Etmopterus burgessi Schaaf-Da Silva & Ebert, 2006 (broad-snout lanternshark) Etmopterus carteri S. Springer & G. H. Burgess, 1985 (cylindrical lanternshark) Etmopterus caudistigmus Last, G. H. Burgess & Séret, 2002 (tail-spot lanternshark) Etmopterus compagnoi R. Fricke & Koch, 1990 (Compagno's lanternshark) Etmopterus decacuspidatus W. L. Y. Chan, 1966 (comb-tooth lanternshark) Etmopterus dianthus Last, G. H. Burgess & Séret, 2002 (pink lanternshark) Etmopterus dislineatus Last, G. H. Burgess & Séret, 2002 (Lined lanternshark) Etmopterus evansi Last, G. H. Burgess & Séret, 2002 (Black-mouth lanternshark) Etmopterus fusus Last, G. H. Burgess & Séret, 2002 (pygmy lanternshark) Etmopterus gracilispinis G. Krefft, 1968 (broad-band lanternshark) Etmopterus granulosus Günther, 1880 (southern lanternshark) Etmopterus hillianus Poey, 1861 (Caribbean lanternshark) Etmopterus joungi Knuckey, Ebert & G. H. Burgess, 2011 (short-fin smooth lanternshark) Etmopterus lailae Ebert, 2017 (Laila's lanternshark) Etmopterus litvinovi Parin & Kotlyar, 1990 (small-eye lanternshark) Etmopterus lucifer D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1902 (Black-belly lanternshark) Etmopterus marshae Ebert, 2018 (Marsha's lanternshark) Etmopterus molleri Whitley, 1939 (Moller's lanternshark) Etmopterus perryi S. Springer & G. H. Burgess, 1985 (dwarf lanternshark) Etmopterus polli Bigelow, Schroeder & S. Springer, 1953 (African lanternshark) Etmopterus princeps Collett, 1904 (great lanternshark) Etmopterus pseudosqualiolus Last, G. H. Burgess & Séret, 2002 (False lanternshark) Etmopterus pusillus R. T. Lowe, 1839 (smooth lanternshark) Etmopterus pycnolepis Kotlyar, 1990 (dense-scale lanternshark) Etmopterus robinsi Schofield & G. H. Burgess, 1997 (West Indian lanternshark) Etmopterus samadiae White, 2017 (Papuan lanternshark) Etmopterus schultzi Bigelow, Schroeder & S. Springer, 1953 (fringe-fin lanternshark) Etmopterus sculptus Ebert, L. J. V. Compagno & De Vries, 2011 (sculpted lanternshark) Etmopterus sentosus Bass, D'Aubrey & Kistnasamy, 1976 (thorny lanternshark) Etmopterus sheikoi Dolganov, 1986 (rasp-tooth dogfish) Etmopterus spinax Linnaeus, 1758 (velvet-belly lanternshark) Etmopterus splendidus Ka. Yano, 1988 (splendid lanternshark) Etmopterus unicolor Engelhardt, 1912 (bristled lanternshark) Etmopterus viator Straube, 2011 (traveller lanternshark) Etmopterus villosus C. H. Gilbert, 1905 (Hawaiian lanternshark) Etmopterus virens Bigelow, Schroeder & S. Springer, 1953 (green lanternshark) Etmopterus westraliensis Ng, White, Liu & Joung, 2025 (West Australian lanternshark) Etmopterus sp. Not yet described (Guadalupe lanternshark) Etmopterus sp. Not yet described (Chilean lanternshark) Etmopterus sp. Not yet described (Papua short-tail lanternshark) Genus Trigonognathus Mochizuki & F. Ohe, 1990 Trigonognathus kabeyai Mochizuki & F. Ohe, 1990 (viper dogfish) Family Oxynotidae (rough sharks) Genus Oxynotus Rafinesque, 1810 Oxynotus bruniensis J. D. Ogilby, 1893 (prickly dogfish) Oxynotus caribbaeus Cervigón, 1961 (Caribbean roughshark) Oxynotus centrina Linnaeus, 1758 (angular roughshark) Oxynotus japonicus Ka. Yano & Murofushi, 1985 (Japanese roughshark) Oxynotus paradoxus Frade, 1929 (sail-fin roughshark) Family Somniosidae (sleeper sharks) Genus Centroscymnus Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864 Centroscymnus coelolepis Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864 (Portuguese dogfish) Centroscymnus owstonii Garman, 1906 (rough-skin dogfish) Genus Centroselachus Garman, 1913 Centroselachus crepidater Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864 (long-nose velvet dogfish) Genus Scymnodalatias Garrick, 1956 Scymnodalatias albicauda Taniuchi & Garrick, 1986 (white-tail dogfish) Scymnodalatias garricki Kukuev & Konovalenko, 1988 (Azores dogfish) Scymnodalatias oligodon Kukuev & Konovalenko, 1988 (sparse-tooth dogfish) Scymnodalatias sherwoodi Archey, 1921 (Sherwood's dogfish) Genus Scymnodon Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864 Scymnodon ichiharai Ka. Yano & S. Tanaka (II), 1984 (Japanese velvet dogfish) Scymnodon macracanthus Regan, 1906 (large-spine velvet dogfish) Scymnodon plunketi Waite, 1910 (Plunket shark) Scymnodon ringens Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864 (knife-tooth dogfish) Genus Somniosus Lesueur, 1818 Somniosus antarcticus Whitley, 1939 (southern sleeper shark) Somniosus cheni Hsu, 2020 (Taiwan sleeper shark) Somniosus longus S. Tanaka (I), 1912 (frog shark) Somniosus microcephalus Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801 (Greenland shark) Somniosus pacificus Bigelow & Schroeder, 1944 (Pacific sleeper shark) Somniosus rostratus A. Risso, 1827 (little sleeper shark) Somniosus sp. A Not yet described (long-nose sleeper shark) Genus Zameus D. S. Jordan & Fowler, 1903 Zameus squamulosus Günther, 1877 (velvet dogfish) Family Squalidae (dogfish sharks) Genus Cirrhigaleus S. Tanaka (I), 1912 Cirrhigaleus asper Merrett, 1973 (rough-skin spurdog) Cirrhigaleus australis W. T. White, Last & J. D. Stevens, 2007 (southern Mandarin dogfish) Cirrhigaleus barbifer S. Tanaka (I), 1912 (Mandarin dogfish) Genus Squalus Linnaeus, 1758 Squalus acanthias Linnaeus, 1758 (spiny dogfish) Squalus acutipinnis Regan, 1908 (blunt-nose spiny dogfish) Squalus albicaudus Viana, 2016 (Brazilian Whitetail Dogfish) Squalus albifrons Last, W. T. White & J. D. Stevens, 2007 (eastern high-fin spurdog) Squalus altipinnis Last, W. T. White & J. D. Stevens, 2007 (western high-fin spurdog) Squalus bahiensis Viana, 2016 (Northeastern Brazilian dogfish) Squalus bassi Viana, 2017 (Long-nosed African spurdog) Squalus blainville A. Risso, 1827 (long-nose spurdog) Squalus boretzi Boretzi's dogfish (Boretzi dogfish) Squalus brevirostris S. Tanaka (I), 1917 (Japanese short-nose spurdog) Squalus bucephalus Last, Séret & Pogonoski, 2007 (big-head spurdog) Squalus chloroculus Last, W. T. White & Motomura, 2007 (green-eye spurdog) Squalus clarkae Pfleger, Grubbs, Cotton & Daly-Engel, 2018 (gulf dogfish) Squalus crassispinus Last, Edmunds & Yearsley, 2007 (fat-spine spurdog) Squalus cubensis Howell-Rivero, 1936 (Cuban dogfish) Squalus edmundsi W. T. White, Last & J. D. Stevens, 2007 (Edmund's spurdog) Squalus formosus W. T. White & Iglésias, 2011 (Taiwan spurdog) Squalus grahami W. T. White, Last & J. D. Stevens, 2007 (eastern long-nose spurdog) Squalus griffini Phillipps, 1931 (northern spiny dogfish) Squalus hawaiiensis Daly-Engel, 2018 (Hawaiian Dogfish) Squalus hemipinnis W. T. White, Last & Yearsley, 2007 (Indonesian short-snout spurdog) Squalus japonicus Ishikawa, 1908 (Japanese spurdog) Squalus lalannei Baranes, 2003 (Seychelles spurdog) Squalus lobularis Viana, 2016 (Atlantic lobefin dogfish) Squalus mahia Viana, 2017 (Malagasy skinny spurdog) Squalus margaretsmithae Viana, 2017 (Smith's dogfish) Squalus megalops W. J. Macleay, 1881 (short-nose spurdog)