{"id":11373,"date":"2022-08-28T16:12:17","date_gmt":"2022-08-28T15:12:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/?p=11373"},"modified":"2024-02-18T14:15:24","modified_gmt":"2024-02-18T14:15:24","slug":"different-types-of-sharks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/petpedia.co\/blog\/different-types-of-sharks\/","title":{"rendered":"The Different Types of Sharks of the Ocean World (2024 Facts)"},"content":{"rendered":"

When talking about shark families, our seas and <\/span>oceans<\/span> are home to 8 orders comprising 37 <\/span>different types of sharks<\/span>, most of which are crucial to the health of aquatic ecosystems.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, these separate families include over 500 <\/span>different shark species<\/span> that vary in size, <\/span>body<\/span> type, whether or not they have <\/span>fins<\/span>, number of gills, and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

Below, we list the eight main shark orders and the most popular species among them.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Are <\/b>Shark Types<\/b>?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Before discussing the <\/span>kinds of sharks<\/span> inhabiting our oceans, we should clarify that <\/span>biologists do not use the terms \u2018types\u2019 and \u2018kinds\u2019<\/b> to categorize living species.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead, <\/span>life is classified into eight taxonomic ranks<\/b>, with \u2018species\u2019 being the lowest and narrowest group of living organisms that can produce offspring.<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, when using kinds or <\/span>types of sharks<\/span>, we are referring to the <\/span>broader shark family<\/b> (6th taxonomic rank) to which separate genera (7th rank) and species (8th rank) belong.<\/span><\/p>\n

Different Types of Sharks<\/b><\/h2>\n

As members of the Selachimorpha superorder, <\/span>all types of sharks<\/b> have a cartilaginous skeleton, gill slits, and pectoral fins, which they use to swim, hunt, and <\/span>maintain order and diversity in their habitats<\/b> since a number of them are considered <\/span>apex <\/b>predators<\/b>.<\/b><\/p>\n

But <\/span>how many different types of sharks are there<\/span>?<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, biologists categorize the hundreds of <\/span>different species of sharks<\/span> into <\/span>eight overarching orders<\/b>, i.e., groups of sharks with distinct external characteristics:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Angel sharks (Squatiniformes)<\/b>\u2014no anal fin, flattened body, terminal mouth;<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Sawsharks (Pristiophoriformes)<\/b>\u2014no anal fin, elongated sawlike snout, ventral mouth;<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Dogfish sharks (Squaliformes)<\/b>\u2014no anal fin, short smooth snout, ventral mouth;<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Cow and frilled sharks (Hexanchiformes)<\/b>\u2014anal fin, 6 or 7 gill slits, one dorsal fin;<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Ground sharks (Carcharhiniformes)<\/b>\u2014anal fin, 5 gill slits, 2 dorsal fins, no fin spines, mouth behind eyes, nictitating eyelids, spiral or scroll intestinal valve;<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Mackerel sharks (Lamniformes)<\/b>\u2014anal fin, 5 gill slits, 2 dorsal fins, no fin spines, mouth behind eyes, lack of nictitating eyelids, ring intestinal valve;<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. Carpet sharks (Orectolobiformes)<\/b>\u2014anal fin, 5 gill slits, 2 dorsal fins, no fin spines, mouth in front of eyes;<\/span><\/li>\n
  8. Bullhead sharks (Heterodontiformes)<\/b>\u2014anal fin, 5 gill slits, 2 dorsal fins, dorsal fin spines present.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"types<\/p>\n

    source: en.wikipedia.org<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    Did you know<\/i><\/b>: <\/span><\/i>Only 20% of the Earth\u2019s Ocean has been explored so far!<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

    Different Species of Sharks<\/b><\/h2>\n

    Now that we\u2019ve reviewed the main groups of sharks, let\u2019s look at the most popular and often deadly species and <\/span>breeds of sharks<\/span> belonging to these main groups.<\/span><\/p>\n

    1. <\/b>Great White Shark<\/b><\/h3>\n