List of sharks


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 400 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
  • ** Genus Chlamydoselachus Garman, 1884
  • *** Chlamydoselachus africana Ebert & L. J. V. Compagno, 2009
  • *** Chlamydoselachus anguineus Garman, 1884
  • * Family Hexanchidae
  • ** Genus Heptranchias Rafinesque, 1810
  • *** Heptranchias perlo
  • ** Genus Hexanchus Rafinesque, 1810
  • *** Hexanchus griseus
  • *** Hexanchus nakamurai Teng, 1962
  • *** Hexanchus vitulus Springer and Waller, 1969
  • ** Genus Notorynchus Ayres, 1855
  • *** ''Notorynchus cepedianus''

    Dogfish sharks (7 families)

  • ORDER SQUALIFORMES
  • * Family Centrophoridae
  • ** Genus Centrophorus J. P. Müller & Henle, 1837
  • *** Centrophorus atromarginatus Garman, 1913
  • *** Centrophorus granulosus Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801
  • *** Centrophorus harrissoni McCulloch, 1915
  • *** Centrophorus lesliei White, 2017
  • *** Centrophorus longipinnis White, 2017
  • *** Centrophorus moluccensis Bleeker, 1860
  • *** Centrophorus seychellorum Baranes, 2003
  • *** Centrophorus squamosus Bonnaterre, 1788
  • *** Centrophorus tessellatus Garman, 1906
  • *** Centrophorus uyato Rafinesque, 1810
  • *** Centrophorus westraliensis W. T. White, Ebert & Compagno, 2008)
  • *** Centrophorus zeehaani W. T. White, Ebert & L. J. V. Compagno, 2008
  • *** Centrophorus sp. A Not yet described
  • *** Centrophorus sp. B Not yet described
  • ** Genus Deania D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1902
  • *** Deania calcea R. T. Lowe, 1839
  • *** Deania hystricosa Garman, 1906
  • *** Deania profundorum H. M. Smith & Radcliffe, 1912
  • *** Deania quadrispinosa McCulloch, 1915
  • * Family Dalatiidae
  • ** Genus Dalatias Rafinesque, 1810
  • *** Dalatias licha Bonnaterre, 1788
  • ** Genus Euprotomicroides Hulley & M. J. Penrith, 1966
  • *** Euprotomicroides zantedeschia Hulley & M. J. Penrith, 1966
  • ** Genus Euprotomicrus T. N. Gill, 1865
  • *** Euprotomicrus bispinatus Quoy & Gaimard, 1824
  • ** Genus Heteroscymnoides Fowler, 1934
  • *** Heteroscymnoides marleyi Fowler 1934
  • ** Genus Isistius T. N. Gill, 1865
  • *** Isistius brasiliensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824
  • *** Isistius plutodus Garrick & S. Springer, 1964
  • ** Genus Mollisquama Dolganov, 1984
  • *** Mollisquama parini Dolganov, 1984
  • *** Mollisquama mississippiensis Grace, 2019
  • ** Genus Squaliolus H. M. Smith & Radcliffe, 1912
  • *** Squaliolus aliae Teng, 1959
  • *** Squaliolus laticaudus H. M. Smith & Radcliffe, 1912
  • * Family Echinorhinidae
  • ** Genus Echinorhinus T. N. Gill, 1862
  • *** Echinorhinus brucus Bonnaterre, 1788
  • *** Echinorhinus cookei Pietschmann, 1928
  • * Family Etmopteridae
  • ** Genus Aculeola F. de Buen, 1959
  • *** Aculeola nigra F. de Buen, 1959
  • ** Genus Centroscyllium J. P. Müller & Henle, 1841
  • *** Centroscyllium excelsum Shirai & Nakaya, 1990
  • *** Centroscyllium fabricii J. C. H. Reinhardt, 1825
  • *** Centroscyllium granulatum Günther, 1887
  • *** Centroscyllium kamoharai T. Abe, 1966
  • *** Centroscyllium nigrum Garman, 1899
  • *** Centroscyllium ornatum Alcock, 1889
  • *** Centroscyllium ritteri D. S. Jordan & Fowler, 1903
  • ** Genus Etmopterus Rafinesque, 1810
  • *** Etmopterus alphus Ebert, 2016
  • *** Etmopterus baxteri Garrick, 1957
  • *** Etmopterus benchleyi V. E. Vásquez, Ebert & Long, 2015
  • *** Etmopterus bigelowi Shirai & Tachikawa, 1993
  • *** Etmopterus brachyurus Hugh McCormick Smith|H. M. Smith & Lewis Radcliffe|Radcliffe, 1912
  • *** Etmopterus brosei Ebert, 2021
  • *** Etmopterus bullisi Bigelow & Schroeder, 1957
  • *** Etmopterus burgessi Schaaf-Da Silva & Ebert, 2006
  • *** Etmopterus carteri S. Springer & G. H. Burgess, 1985
  • *** Etmopterus caudistigmus Last, G. H. Burgess & Séret, 2002
  • *** Etmopterus compagnoi R. Fricke & Koch, 1990
  • *** Etmopterus decacuspidatus W. L. Y. Chan, 1966
  • *** Etmopterus dianthus Last, G. H. Burgess & Séret, 2002
  • *** Etmopterus dislineatus Last, G. H. Burgess & Séret, 2002
  • *** Etmopterus evansi Last, G. H. Burgess & Séret, 2002
  • *** Etmopterus fusus Last, G. H. Burgess & Séret, 2002
  • *** Etmopterus gracilispinis G. Krefft, 1968
  • *** Etmopterus granulosus Günther, 1880
  • *** Etmopterus hillianus Poey, 1861
  • *** Etmopterus joungi Knuckey, Ebert & G. H. Burgess, 2011
  • *** Etmopterus lailae Ebert, 2017
  • *** Etmopterus litvinovi Parin & Kotlyar, 1990
  • *** Etmopterus lucifer D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1902
  • *** Etmopterus marshae Ebert, 2018
  • *** Etmopterus molleri Whitley, 1939
  • *** Etmopterus perryi S. Springer & G. H. Burgess, 1985
  • *** Etmopterus polli Bigelow, Schroeder & S. Springer, 1953
  • *** Etmopterus princeps Collett, 1904
  • *** Etmopterus pseudosqualiolus Last, G. H. Burgess & Séret, 2002
  • *** Etmopterus pusillus R. T. Lowe, 1839
  • *** Etmopterus pycnolepis Kotlyar, 1990
  • *** Etmopterus robinsi Schofield & G. H. Burgess, 1997
  • *** Etmopterus samadiae White, 2017
  • *** Etmopterus schultzi Bigelow, Schroeder & S. Springer, 1953
  • *** Etmopterus sculptus Ebert, L. J. V. Compagno & De Vries, 2011
  • *** Etmopterus sentosus Bass, D'Aubrey & Kistnasamy, 1976
  • *** Etmopterus sheikoi Dolganov, 1986
  • *** Etmopterus spinax Linnaeus, 1758
  • *** Etmopterus splendidus Ka. Yano, 1988
  • *** Etmopterus unicolor Engelhardt, 1912
  • *** Etmopterus viator Straube, 2011
  • *** Etmopterus villosus C. H. Gilbert, 1905
  • *** Etmopterus virens Bigelow, Schroeder & S. Springer, 1953
  • *** Etmopterus westraliensis Ng, White, Liu & Joung, 2025
  • *** Etmopterus sp. Not yet described
  • *** Etmopterus sp. Not yet described
  • *** Etmopterus sp. Not yet described
  • ** Genus Trigonognathus Mochizuki & F. Ohe, 1990
  • *** Trigonognathus kabeyai Mochizuki & F. Ohe, 1990
  • * Family Oxynotidae
  • ** Genus Oxynotus Rafinesque, 1810
  • *** Oxynotus bruniensis J. D. Ogilby, 1893
  • *** Oxynotus caribbaeus Cervigón, 1961
  • *** Oxynotus centrina Linnaeus, 1758
  • *** Oxynotus japonicus Ka. Yano & Murofushi, 1985
  • *** Oxynotus paradoxus Frade, 1929
  • * Family Somniosidae
  • ** Genus Centroscymnus Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864
  • *** Centroscymnus coelolepis Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864
  • *** Centroscymnus owstonii Garman, 1906
  • ** Genus Centroselachus Garman, 1913
  • *** Centroselachus crepidater Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864
  • ** Genus Scymnodalatias Garrick, 1956
  • *** Scymnodalatias albicauda Taniuchi & Garrick, 1986
  • *** Scymnodalatias garricki Kukuev & Konovalenko, 1988
  • *** Scymnodalatias oligodon Kukuev & Konovalenko, 1988
  • *** Scymnodalatias sherwoodi Archey, 1921
  • ** Genus Scymnodon Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864
  • *** Scymnodon ichiharai Ka. Yano & S. Tanaka, 1984
  • *** Scymnodon macracanthus Regan, 1906
  • *** Scymnodon plunketi Waite, 1910
  • *** Scymnodon ringens Barbosa du Bocage & Brito Capello, 1864
  • ** Genus Somniosus
Lesueur, 1818
  • *** Somniosus antarcticus Whitley, 1939
  • *** Somniosus cheni Hsu, 2020
  • *** Somniosus longus S. Tanaka, 1912
  • *** Somniosus microcephalus Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801
  • *** Somniosus pacificus Bigelow & Schroeder, 1944
  • *** Somniosus rostratus A. Risso, 1827
  • *** Somniosus sp. A Not yet described
  • ** Genus Zameus D. S. Jordan & Fowler, 1903
  • *** Zameus squamulosus Günther, 1877
  • * Family Squalidae
  • ** Genus Cirrhigaleus S. Tanaka, 1912
  • *** Cirrhigaleus asper Merrett, 1973
  • *** Cirrhigaleus australis W. T. White, Last & J. D. Stevens, 2007
  • *** Cirrhigaleus barbifer S. Tanaka, 1912
  • ** Genus Squalus Linnaeus, 1758
  • *** Squalus acanthias Linnaeus, 1758
  • *** Squalus acutipinnis Regan, 1908
  • *** Squalus albicaudus Viana, 2016
  • *** Squalus albifrons Last, W. T. White & J. D. Stevens, 2007
  • *** Squalus altipinnis Last, W. T. White & J. D. Stevens, 2007
  • *** Squalus bahiensis Viana, 2016
  • *** Squalus bassi Viana, 2017
  • *** Squalus blainville A. Risso, 1827
  • *** Squalus boretzi Boretzi's dogfish
  • *** Squalus brevirostris S. Tanaka, 1917
  • *** Squalus bucephalus Last, Séret & Pogonoski, 2007
  • *** Squalus chloroculus Last, W. T. White & Motomura, 2007
  • *** Squalus clarkae Pfleger, Grubbs, Cotton & Daly-Engel, 2018
  • *** Squalus crassispinus Last, Edmunds & Yearsley, 2007
  • *** Squalus cubensis Howell-Rivero, 1936
  • *** Squalus edmundsi W. T. White, Last & J. D. Stevens, 2007
  • *** Squalus formosus W. T. White & Iglésias, 2011
  • *** Squalus grahami W. T. White, Last & J. D. Stevens, 2007
  • *** Squalus griffini Phillipps, 1931
  • *** Squalus hawaiiensis Daly-Engel, 2018
  • *** Squalus hemipinnis W. T. White, Last & Yearsley, 2007
  • *** Squalus japonicus Ishikawa, 1908
  • *** Squalus lalannei Baranes, 2003
  • *** Squalus lobularis Viana, 2016
  • *** Squalus mahia Viana, 2017
  • *** Squalus margaretsmithae Viana, 2017
  • *** Squalus megalops W. J. Macleay, 1881
  • *** Squalus melanurus Fourmanoir & Rivaton, 1979
  • *** Squalus mitsukurii D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1903
  • *** Squalus montalbani Whitley, 1931
  • *** Squalus nasutus Last, L. J. Marshall & W. T. White, 2007
  • *** Squalus notocaudatus Last, W. T. White & J. D. Stevens, 2007
  • *** Squalus quasimodo Viana, 2016
  • *** Squalus rancureli Fourmanoir & Rivaton, 1979
  • *** Squalus raoulensis C. A. J. Duffy & Last, 2007
  • *** Squalus shiraii Viana, 2020
  • *** Squalus suckleyi Girard, 1854
  • *** Squalus sp. Not yet described