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Houndshark

Family of sharks

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A leopard shark ( Triakis semifasciata ) and two blacksmith damselfish ( Chromis punctipinnis ), swimming in a kelp forest in the 70,000 gallon (approx. 265,000 litre) kelp tank at Scripps Aquarium in
Mfield , Matthew Field, www.photography.mattfield.com · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Houndsharks are distinguished by possessing two large, spineless dorsal fins, an anal fin and oval eyes with nictitating eyelids. They are small to medium in size, ranging from 37 to 220 cm (1.21 to 7.22 ft) in adult length. They are found throughout the world in warm and temperate waters, where they feed on small fish and invertebrates on the seabed and in midwater.

Fossil records of this group date back to the Cenomanian.

Genera

Houndsharks are classified into subfamilies and genera as follows:

  • Galeorhininae Gill, 1862
    • Furgaleus Whitley, 1951 (whiskery shark)
    • Galeorhinus Blainville, 1816 (school shark)
    • Gogolia Compagno, 1973 (sailback houndshark)
    • Hemitriakis Herre, 1923
    • Hypogaleus J. L. B. Smith, 1957 (blacktip tope)
    • Iago Compagno & Springer, 1971
  • Triakinae Gray, 1851

The following fossil genera are also known:

  • ?†Archaeotriakis Case, 1978 (alternatively placed in Pseudotriakidae)
  • †Gomphogaleus Adnet & Cappetta, 2008
  • †Kallodentis Engelbrecht, Mörs, Reguero & Kriwet, 2017
  • †Khouribgaleus Noubhani & Cappetta, 1997
  • †Meridiogaleus Engelbrecht, Mörs, Reguero & Kriwet, 2017
  • †Pachygaleus Cappeta, 1992
  • †Palaeogaleus Gurr, 1962
  • †Palaeotriakis Guinot, Underwood, Cappetta & Ward, 2013
  • †Paratriakis Herman, 1977
  • †Rhaibodus Böhm, 1926
  • †Squatigaleus Cappetta, 1989
  • †Xystrogaleus Adnet, 2006

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Monotypic taxonTaxonomic group with only one subordinate taxonSpecies descriptionFormal description of a discovered speciesParaphylyType of taxonomic groupIUCN Red ListInventory of the global conservation status of biological speciesSubtropicsGeographic and climate zoneCommon nameName generally used for a taxon, group of taxa or organism(s)