{"id":9331,"title":"Shark Taxonomy","description":"Shark Taxonomy is a field of science that involves classifying and naming species.","content":"

Shark Taxonomy<\/strong><\/h1>

Taxonomy is a field of science that involves classifying and naming species. It's integral to wildlife conservation, providing the bedrock for our understanding of sharks. It\u2019s vital to know what species are and how they\u2019re related, so we can understand their role within the ecosystem.<\/strong><\/p>

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<\/p>

Up until the 1600\u2019s animals and plants were referred to by their common names. But common names vary within the same language, as well as across different languages. So the system was confusing and made it difficult for scientists to discuss species.<\/p>

In the 1600's, a Swedish scientist called Carl Linneaus invented a new system. Creating order from chaos. Although this has altered over time, the concept has remained the same and is still used today.<\/p>

The system is complex but the main classification ranks are:<\/p>

KINGDOM<\/strong><\/h2>

Organisms are grouped under very wide categories, such as Animal or Plant. Sharks belong to the Kingdom Animalia.<\/p>

PHYLUM<\/strong><\/h2>

Divides Kingdoms into smaller groups that share similar characteristics. Sharks belong to the Phylum Chordata and the Sub-phylum Vertebrata. This means they have a spinal chord, notochord and a backbone (vertebrae).<\/p>

CLASS<\/strong><\/h2>

Includes the more familiar groups: birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Sharks belong to the Class Chondrichthyes. This includes all fish that have a skeleton made of cartilage. They're further divided into two Sub-classes. Elasmobranchii (sharks, skates and rays) and Holocephali (chimaera<\/a><\/u>).<\/p>

ORDER<\/strong><\/h2>

Identification starts to get more complicated. The Elasmobranchii are divided into 2 super-orders. The extinct Cladoselachimorpha and the Euselachii, which has 13 Orders. Only 10 of these exist today:<\/p>

  • Skates and Rays<\/strong>\u00a0(Rajiformes) - are generally flattened in shape due to their enlarged pectoral fins (or wings). They have 5 pairs of gills on the underside of the body, rather than on the side as with sharks.

    <\/p><\/li>

  • Frilled & Cow Sharks<\/strong>\u00a0(Hexanchiformes) -\u00a0these are the most primitive sharks alive today. They have 6 or 7 pairs of gills).

    <\/p><\/li>

  • Bramble Sharks\u00a0<\/strong>(Echinorhiniformes) - are large, sluggish, deepwater sharks. There are only 2 species in this entire Family.

    <\/p><\/li>

  • Dogfish Sharks<\/strong>\u00a0(Squaliformes) - have a short mouth with a long snout and 5 pairs of gills.

    <\/p><\/li>

  • Sawsharks<\/strong>\u00a0(Pristiophoriformes) - have a long saw-like snout, which they use to stun prey and defend themselves against predators. They have either 5 or 6 pairs of gills.

    <\/p><\/li>

  • Angelsharks<\/strong>\u00a0(Squatiniformes) - with a flattened body these sharks may look more like rays, but their gills are on the side of their body.

    <\/p><\/li>

  • Bullhead Sharks<\/strong>\u00a0(Heterodontiformes) - have 5 pairs of gills and fin spines. Includes Port Jackson Sharks.

    <\/p><\/li>

  • Mackerel Sharks<\/strong>\u00a0(Lamniformes) - have a long snout and mouth, with 5 pairs of gills. Includes the White Shark, Basking Shark and Shortfin Mako.

    <\/p><\/li>

  • Carpetsharks<\/strong>\u00a0(Orectolobiformes) - have a short snout and 5 pairs of gills. Most have barbels near their mouth, which they use to taste food under the seabed. Includes wobbegongs, blind sharks and the Whale Shark.

    <\/p><\/li>

  • Ground Sharks<\/strong>\u00a0(Carcharhiniformes) - have a wide mouth with sharp-edged teeth and 5 pairs of gills. They also have a movable membrane over their eyes to protect them when they're feeding. Includes reef sharks and the hammerheads.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

    FAMILY<\/strong><\/h2>

    Includes species that are closely related. For example apes, monkeys and humans belong to the Family Primates. Some Families are extremely large while others contain only a few members. For example Mackerel Sharks (Lamniformes) houses 7 families. This includes the Basking Shark (Cetorhinidae), which has only 1 species, and the Thresher Shark (Alopiiidae), which has 3.<\/p>

    GENUS<\/strong><\/h2>

    The first word of a species' scientific name is the genus. The Shortfin Mako's scientific name is\u00a0Isurus oxyrinchus<\/em>\u00a0and the Longfin Mako is\u00a0Isurus paucus<\/em>. Isurus is the Genus and shows us that these 2 species are closely related.<\/p>

    SPECIES<\/strong><\/h2>

    A group of animals or plants that are capable of producing fertile offspring. For example the White Shark. Whose scientific name is\u00a0Carcharodon carcharias<\/em>.<\/p>","urlTitle":"shark-taxonomy","url":"\/blog\/shark-taxonomy\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/shark-taxonomy\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/wonplanet.co.uk\/blog\/shark-taxonomy\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1609858303,"updatedAt":1658497406,"publishedAt":1612964347,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":103581,"name":"won-planet"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/6bhvksz4wdavrf8emrrpjqlfzdf2ragwziddhzpusgqv5v1y.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/6bhvksz4wdavrf8emrrpjqlfzdf2ragwziddhzpusgqv5v1y.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/6bhvksz4wdavrf8emrrpjqlfzdf2ragwziddhzpusgqv5v1y.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"Shark Taxonomy","metaDescription":"the taxanomic index of sharks.","keyPhraseCampaignId":2804,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":9363,"title":"Planting Trees to help Fight Climate Change.","url":"\/blog\/planting-trees-to-help-fight-climate-change\/","urlTitle":"planting-trees-to-help-fight-climate-change","division":103581,"description":"Global warming is happening at a faster rate than ever. Our polar ice caps are melting and our forests are burning. We\u2019re in a climate emergency and it\u2019s threatening our planet","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/dkynbs9xg4e8opolxjcgpc9jq7eybza9chfh4tgnrnwchuzd.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/dkynbs9xg4e8opolxjcgpc9jq7eybza9chfh4tgnrnwchuzd.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":9325,"title":"Mangroves, What are they?","url":"\/blog\/mangroves-what-are-they\/","urlTitle":"mangroves-what-are-they","division":103581,"description":"Mangroves are a group of trees and shrubs that live in coastal intertidal zone.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/py17rc628fdve7p9tzrnoi9tak4c0bwmssbwb8ngye9fmdhv.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/py17rc628fdve7p9tzrnoi9tak4c0bwmssbwb8ngye9fmdhv.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":51658,"title":"Stop the Grindadrap: Why We Must Speak Up for Whales and Dolphins","url":"\/blog\/stop-the-grindarap-why-we-must-speak-up-for-whales-and-dolphins\/","urlTitle":"stop-the-grindarap-why-we-must-speak-up-for-whales-and-dolphins","division":103581,"description":"WARNING!!!! THIS BLOG CONTAINS GRAPHIC, UPSETTING IMAGES!!! Every year in the Faroe Islands, a brutal event known as the grindadrap (or the grind) takes place.Entire pods of pilot whales\u2014along with other species of dolphins\u2014are driven from the open ocean into shallow bays by boats.Once trapped, the animals are slaughtered in large numbers, often in front of their pod members, turning the water red with blood","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/wq1yffl8aacpfccfqtoasuufhkrts1xzejswdqoobd98wdbb.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/wq1yffl8aacpfccfqtoasuufhkrts1xzejswdqoobd98wdbb.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}