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Wikipedia / Lamniformes

The Lamniformes (, from Greek lamna "fish of prey") are an order of sharks commonly known as mackerel sharks (which may also refer specifically to the family Lamnidae). It includes some of the most familiar species of sharks, such as the great white and mako sharks as well as less familiar ones, such as the goblin shark and megamouth shark.

Members of the order are distinguished by possessing two dorsal fins, an anal fin, five gill slits, eyes without nictitating membranes, and a mouth extending behind the eyes. Species in two families of Lamniformes – Lamnidae and Alopiidae – are distinguished for maintaining a higher body temperature than the surrounding waters.

Members of the group include macropredators, generally of medium-large size, including the largest macropredatory shark ever, the extinct Otodus megalodon, as well as large planktivores.

Although some authors have argued that the Late Jurassic Palaeocarcharias should be considered the oldest known lamniform, this is disputed. The earliest unambiguous records of lamniformes are from the Early Cretaceous. Lamniformes underwent a major adaptive radiation during the Cretaceous and became prominent elements of oceanic ecosystems. They reached their highest diversity during the Late Cretaceous, but severely declined during the K-Pg extinction, before rebounding to a high but lower diversity peak during the Paleogene. Lamniformes have severely declined over the last 20 million years, with only 15 species alive today, compared to over 290 extant species in the Carcharhiniformes, which have evolved into medium and large body sizes during the same timeframe. The causes of the decline are uncertain, but are likely to have involved both biotic factors like competition and non-biotic factors like temperature and sea level.

Species

The order Lamniformes includes 10 families with 22 species, with a total of eight living families and 15 living species:

Order Lamniformes

Family Alopiidae Bonaparte, 1838 (thresher sharks)

Genus Alopias Rafinesque, 1810

Family †Anacoracidae Capetta, 1987 (extinct, Cretaceous period)

Family †Aquilolamnidae Vullo et al., 2021? (eagle sharks) (extinct, Late Cretaceous period)

Genus †Aquilolamna Vullo et al., 2021

Family Carchariidae Müller & Henle, 1838

Genus Carcharias Rafinesque, 1810

Family Cetorhinidae Gill, 1862

Genus Cetorhinus Blainville, 1816

Family †Eoptolamnidae (extinct, Late Cretaceous period)

Genus †Eoptolamna

Genus †Leptostyrax

Genus †Protolamna

Family Lamnidae J. P. Müller and Henle, 1838 (mackerel sharks or white sharks)

Genus Carcharodon A. Smith, 1838

Genus Isurus Rafinesque, 1810

Genus Lamna Cuvier, 1816

Family †Otodontidae Gluckman, 1964 (extinct, Late Cretaceous to Pliocene) (megatoothed sharks)

Genus †Otodus (Agassiz, 1843)

Genus †Megaselachus

Family Megachasmidae Taylor, Compagno & Struhsaker, 1983

Genus Megachasma Taylor, Compagno & Struhsaker, 1983

Family Mitsukurinidae D. S. Jordan, 1898

Genus Mitsukurina D. S. Jordan, 1898

Family Odontaspididae Müller & Henle, 1839

Genus Odontaspis Agassiz, 1838

Family Pseudocarchariidae Compagno, 1973

Genus Pseudocarcharias Cadenat, 1963

Family †Cardabiodontidae (extinct, Late Cretaceous period)

Genus †Cardabiodon Siverson, 1999

Family †Cretoxyrhinidae (extinct, Late Cretaceous period)

Genus †Cretoxyrhina Agassiz, 1843

Family †Serratolamnidae

Family †Ptychodontidae (extinct, Cretaceous period)

References

Further reading

  • Compagno, Leonard (2002) Volume 2, FAO Species Catalogue, Rome. .