Catsharks Temporal range:
| |
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Whitesaddled catshark, Scyliorhinus hesperius | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Chondrichthyes |
Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
Subdivision: | Selachimorpha |
Order: | Carcharhiniformes |
Family: | Scyliorhinidae T. N. Gill, 1862 |
Catsharks are ground sharks of the family Scyliorhinidae. They are the largest family of sharks with around 160 species placed in 17 genera.[2] Although they are generally known as catsharks, some species can also be called dogfish due to previous naming.[3] However, a dogfish may generally be distinguished from a catshark as catsharks lay eggs while dogfish have live young.[3] Like most bottom feeders, catsharks feed on benthic invertebrates and smaller fish. They are not harmful to humans.[3] The family is paraphyletic, containing several distinct lineages that do not form a monophyletic group.[4]
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