Asian Diver – March 2018

ORECTOLOBIFORMES

This order, called the carpet sharks,

consists of seven families, including the

beloved whale shark, the world’s largest

known extant fish species. They usually

inhabit coral and rocky reefs, with many

sporting interesting patterns.

Characteristics: anal fin, five gill slits,

two dorsal fins, no fin spines, mouth in

front of the eyes

HEXANCHIFORMES
This order includes some of the rarest
sharks, cow sharks and frilled sharks.
With only six extant species, they live
in the deepest and coldest parts of the
ocean, though they do sometimes rise to
shallower depths in search for food.

Characteristics: anal fin, six to seven
gills, one dorsal fin of the eyes

SQUATINIFORMES

This order contains only one family,

Squatinidae, otherwise known as

angelsharks. There are 18 species

of angelsharks, all of which have an

unusually strong resemblance to rays.

Characteristics: flat body, mouth at front,

no anal fin

LAMNIFORMES

Commonly known as mackerel sharks, this

order includes some of the most impressive

sharks such as the great white, thresher,

megamouth, and basking sharks. They have

a particularly large mouth for grabbing and

immobolising large prey.

Characteristics: anal fin, five gill slits, two

dorsal fins, no fin spines, mouth behind

the eyes, no nictitating eyelids

Proportion of

shark orders