Chimaeriformes Taxonomy: Superclass:Gnathostomata-jawed fishes Class: Chondrichthyes- cartilaginous fishes, rays Subclass: Holocephali- cartilaginous fishes, chimaeras Order: Chimaeriformes Families:3; Chimaeridae, Callorhinchidae, Rhinochimaeridae 6 Genera, 34 species Description: bodies are elongate, soft, and scaleless, ranging from brownish-gray to black. Most species have a rather large head in comparison to the rest of the body. Head is covered in prominent sensory canals, single gill-opening, prominent spine before the first of two dorsal fins, and only three pairs of large, often beak-like teeth in mouth. Snout is highly varied amongst species. Male chimeras have retractable sexual appendages before pelvic fins, along with an appendage on their forehead. Small-to- moderate-size (up to 1.5 m). Habitat:Entirely marine. Found on or near the bottom of the continental shelf to depths of at least 2,600 m (8.500 ft), but few species occur inshore in temperate regions. Distribution:Occur in all of the world’s oceans with the exception of Arctic and Antarctic waters Ecology and life history: Feed primarily on benthic invertebrates that they crush with three rows of tooth plates. All species of chimaeriformes are oviparous, with females being fertilized internally. Very little is known about the reproduction and development of chimaeriformes due to the difficulty to study them in their natural, deep-water habitat. First fossil evidence of Chimaeriformes occurs in the Devonian, Carboniferous, and Permian periods (375–250 ma) Additional Details:some species are harvested commercially in the southern hemisphere for food and pharmaceutical products, however there is insufficient data to determine if any species are threatened. Those species commercially harvested are at a high risk of overexploitation, for there is also insufficient data on age, growth, and population structure. Hydrolagus colliei References used: Paxton, J. R. and W. N. Eshmeyer. 1998. Encyclopedia of fishes. Academic Press. Nelson, J. S. 1994. Fishes of the World. 3rd. ed. Wiley and Sons, New York. Orectolobiformes- Carpet Sharks Taxonomy: Superclass Gnathostomata –Jawed Fishes Class Chrondrichthyes- Cartilaginous Fishes Subclass Elasmobranchii- Sharks and Rays Order Orectolobiformes- Carpet Sharks Families Orectolobidae (wobbegongs), Rhincodontidae (whale shark), Parascyllidae (collard carpet sharks), Brachaeluridae (blind sharks), Hemiscyllidae (longtail carpet sharks), Stegostomatidae (zebra sharks), Ginglymostomatidae (nurse sharks). 14 Genera, ~31 species Description: On average between 1 and 3.5 meters long. The whale shark is the exception at 12 to 15 meters. They have two spineless dorsal fins, a short mouth that is well in front of the eyes and specialized nostrils with prominent grooves. Most have barbells and small gill slits with the fourth gill slit overlapping the fifth. Habitat: Live exclusively in salt water. Found usually on or near the bottom. Distribution: Orectolobiformes are found predominantly in the tropical areas of the Indo-Pacific, with most being present in Australian waters. A few species can be found in the Atlantic. Ecology and life history: Reproduction is variable, with some species being oviparous and some being ovoviviparous. Most are sluggish sharks that mainly feed on small invertebrates and fishes. However, there are a wide range of life history strategies utilized, with some individuals being ambush predators, filter feeders, or night predators. Additional details: This order contains the largest living fish, the whale shark, at 15m in length and approximately 12,000kg in weight. References: Bond, C.E. 1996. Biology of Fishes, 2nd ed. Saunders College Publishing, Fort Worth. Paxton, J.R. and W.N Eshmeyer. 1998. Encyclopedia of fished 2nd ed. Academic Press. Nelson, J.S. 1994. Fishes of the world. 3rd ed. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. Carcharhiniformes Taxonomy: Superclass Gnathostomata – jawed fishes Class Chondrichthyes – cartilaginous fishes Order Carcharhiniformes – ground sharks Families (8): Scyliorhinidae – cat sharks and spotted dogfishes, Proscyllidae – finback cat sharks, Pseudotriakidae – false cat sharks, Leptochariidae – barbeled hound shark,Triakidae – hound sharks or smooth hounds or smooth dogfishes, Hemigaleidae – weasel sharks, Carcharhinidae – requiem or “typical” sharks, and Sphyrnidae – hammerhead sharks ~40 - 48 genera, ~ 216 species Description: cartilaginous fishes, jawed fishes, have anal, pelvic, and pectoral paired fins, have dorsal fin, paired nostrils, scales, two-chambered hearts, lack ribs, body covered with placoid scales sometimes called dermal teeth or dermal denticles, majority have heterocercal tail, breathe using 5-7 gills, spiracle behind each eye often used to pump water through the gillshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gill while the animal is at rest, poikilotherms also known as cold-blooded or ectothermic Habitat: found in tropical continental shelf regions, inshore, littoral habitats as well as offshore, present in deeper waters along the upper continental slopes, some are epipelagic in deeper ocean basins Distribution: can be found worldwide, mostly inhabit all the major oceans, but can be found in tropical freshwater rivers and lakes, inhabit waters from the intertidal zone to the lower reaches of the continental slope, mostly abundant and found in tropical to temperate waters Ecology and life history: males bite females during mating, fertilization is internal, development is usually live birth such as ovoviviparous species (nourished by the egg yolk) and viviparous species (nourished by the mother’s body) but can be through eggs (oviparous), some guard eggs, gestation periods are short for oviparous species where they lay their eggs after a few weeks and the embryos are retained for more than a year in ovoviviparous and viviparous species, litters vary from one to 135 per gestation, females give birth in shallow areas, no parental care after birth, diet consists of a variety of marine animals from bony fishes to a wide range of invertebrates that the benthic ground sharks will eat Additional details: economically important, fished intensely for both food and recreational purposes, carcasses used for fishmeal, fins used for/in the Chinese shark fin soup industry, skin used for leather products, liver oil used for the extraction of vitamin A, and ecotourism References used: Bond, C. E. 1996. Biology of Fishes, 2nd ed. Saunders College Publishing, Fort Worth, pp. 108-109. http://www.answers.com/topic/carcharhiniformes Lamniformes Taxonomy: Superclass: Gnathostomata Class: Elasmobranchii Order: Lamniformes Families (7): Alopiidae (thresher shark), Cetorhinidae (basking shark), Lamnidae (mackerel/white shark), Megachasmidae (megamouth shark), Misukurinidae (goblin shark), Odontaspididae (sand/sand tiger shark), Pseudocarchariidae (crocodile shark) 10 genera, 16 species Description: Lack of uniting characteristics. Two dorsal fins without spines, anal fin present; five gill slits with large openings, last two gills may be above pectoral fin; spiracles usually present, small and behind the eyes; eyes without nictitating membranes; mouth extending well behind the eyes. 1-10 m in length, lateral keel on each side extending to fin. Habitat: marine, oceanic and coastal, tropical and temperate Distribution: widely distributed, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, Northern & Southern Hemispheres Ecology and life history: internal fertilization, form of viviparity called oophagy. Embryos are nourished by feeding on unfertilized eggs that the mother continues to ovulate. In gray nurse sharks the strongest embryos hunt and consume siblings in uterus until only one pup survives. Produce numerous, small eggs. In mackerel sharks, young are born at 50-60 cm length. In basking shark, sexual maturity is reached at 4-6 m. In some species, adults frequent the sea and young are found closer to shore (such as the thresher shark). Range from filter feeders (Megachasmidae and Cetorhinidae) to predatory species that feed on dolphins, whales and seals (Lamnidae). Additional details: First fossil record from early Cretaceous References used: www.fishbase.com Paxton, J.R. and W.N. Eschmeyer. 1998. Encyclopedia of fishes 2nd ed. Academic Press Nelson, J.S. 1994. Fishes of the World. 3rd ed. Wiley and Sons, New York Hexanchiformes Taxonomy: Superclass Gnathostomata – jawed fishes Class Chondrichthyes – cartilaginous fishes Subclass Elasmobranchii Order Hexanchiformes Families Chlamydoselachidae (frill shark) & Hexanchidae (cow sharks) 4 genera, 5 species VT species: none, is an order of marine organisms Description: primitive, jawed, cartilaginous, without spine, fusiform (Hexanchidae) or saggitaform (Chlamydoselachidae), single posterior spineless dorsal fin , anal fin present, six or seven gill slits, nictitating fold absent. Frill shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus) possessing loose skin extending from the interbrachial septa (family Chlamydoselachidae). Length ranging from a maximum of 2 m for the frill shark and up to a maximum of 4.7 (possibly 8) m in the [bluntnnose] sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus). Habitat: Marine, inhabiting continental shelf and slope waters (all species except the sevengill shark [Notorynchus cepedianus]). The sevengill shark is known to inhabit shallow coastal waters. Distribution: Present in cold waters and warmer coastal waters (sevengill shark) from tropical through temperate and boreal zones of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Ecology and life history: Ovoviviparous, though