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Elasmobranchii
Elasmobranchii (/ɪˌlæzməˈbræŋkiaɪ/[8]) is a subclass of
Chondrichthyes or cartilaginous fish, including the sharks Elasmobranchii
(superorder Selachii) and the rays, skates, and sawfish (superorder Temporal range: Wenlock–Recent[1]
Batoidea). Members of this subclass are characterised by having PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K PgN
four (tawny nurse sharks have 4 pairs of gills) to seven pairs of gill
clefts opening individually to the exterior, rigid dorsal fins and
small placoid scales on the skin. The teeth are in several series; the
upper jaw is not fused to the cranium, and the lower jaw is
articulated with the upper. The details of this jaw anatomy vary
between species, and help distinguish the different elasmobranch
clades. The pelvic fins in males are modified to create claspers for
the transfer of sperm. There is no swim bladder; instead, these fish
maintain buoyancy with large livers rich in oil.
Great white shark
The earliest elasmobranch fossils came from the Devonian and
(Carcharodon carcharias)
many surviving orders date back to the Cretaceous, or even earlier.
Many species became extinct during the Permian and there was a Scientific classification
burst of adaptive radiation during the Jurassic.
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia

Contents Phylum: Chordata

Description Class: Chondrichthyes

Evolution Subclass: Elasmobranchii

Habitats Bonaparte, 1838

Taxonomy Superorders
See also
Batoidea
References
Selachimorpha
External links

Description
Elasmobranchii is one of the two subclasses of cartilaginous fish in
the class Chondrichthyes, the other being Holocephali
(chimaeras).

Members of the elasmobranchii subclass have no swim bladders,

five to seven pairs of gill clefts opening individually to the exterior,
rigid dorsal fins, and small placoid scales. The teeth are in several
series; the upper jaw is not fused to the cranium, and the lower jaw
is articulated with the upper.

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Extant elasmobranchs exhibit several archetypal jaw suspensions: Elasmobranchs lack swim bladders,
amphistyly, orbitostyly, hyostyly, and euhyostyly. In amphistyly, and maintain buoyancy with oil that
they store in their livers. Some deep
the palatoquadrate has a postorbital articulation with the
sea sharks are targeted by fisheries
chondrocranium from which ligaments primarily suspend it for this liver oil, including the
anteriorly. The hyoid articulates with the mandibular arch school, gulper and basking sharks
posteriorly, but it appears to provide little support to the upper (pictured).[2] All three of these
and lower jaws. In orbitostyly, the orbital process hinges with the species have been assessed by the
orbital wall and the hyoid provides the majority of suspensory IUCN as vulnerable due to
overfishing.[3][4][5]
support.

In contrast, hyostyly involves an ethmoid articulation between

the upper jaw and the cranium, while the hyoid most likely
provides vastly more jaw support compared to the anterior
ligaments. Finally, in euhyostyly, also known as true hyostyly,
the mandibular cartilages lack a ligamentous connection to the
cranium. Instead, the hyomandibular cartilages provide the
only means of jaw support, while the ceratohyal and basihyal
elements articulate with the lower jaw, but are disconnected
from the rest of the hyoid.[9][10][11] The eyes have a tapetum
lucidum. The inner margin of each pelvic fin in the male fish is
grooved to constitute a clasper for the transmission of sperm.
These fish are widely distributed in tropical and temperate
waters.[12]

Many fish maintain buoyancy with swim bladders. However Radiation of elasmobranchs, based on
elasmobranchs lack swim bladders, and maintain buoyancy Michael Benton, 2005.[6]
instead with large livers that are full of oil.[13] This stored oil
may also function as a nutrient when food is scarce.[7][14] Deep
sea sharks are usually targeted for their oil, because the livers of these From a practical point of view
species can weigh up to 20% of their total weight. [2] the life-history pattern of
elasmobranchs makes this
group of animals extremely
Evolution susceptible to over fishing. It is
no coincidence that the
commercially exploited marine
Fossilised shark teeth are known from the early Devonian, around 400 turtles and baleen whales,
million years ago. During the following Carboniferous period, the which have life-history patterns
sharks underwent a period of diversification, with many new forms similar to the sharks, are also in
evolving. Many of these became extinct during the Permian, but the trouble.[7]
remaining sharks underwent a second burst of adaptive radiation
during the Jurassic, around which time the skates and rays first appeared. Many surviving orders of
elasmobranch date back to the Cretaceous, or earlier.[15]

Habitats
Elasmobranchs are mostly a marine taxon, but we know several species that live in freshwater
environment (approximately 60 species which represent only 5% of the 1154 described species). They
can be divided into two groups.

The euryhaline elasmobranchs, which are marine species that may survive and reproduce in
freshwater environment, and the obligated freshwater elasmobranchs. The second group contains
elasmobranchs that only lives in freshwater environment their entire life. This group contains only one
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clade: the subfamily Potamotrygoninae. This clade is endemic to one specific region (which means that
they can only be seen in those regions): tropical, subtropical water and wetland of South America.

Recent researches in Paraná river[16] have shown that obligated freshwater elasmobranchs were more
susceptible to anthropogenic threats as overfishing and destruction of habitats due to the very small
place they live in compared to the marine species.

New research has highlighted the importance of coastal wetlands, like mangroves and seagrasses, as
habitats for many species of elasmobranch[17]

Taxonomy
Compagno's 2005 Sharks of the World arranges the class as follows:

Subclass Elasmobranchii
†Plesioselachus
†Order Squatinactiformes
†Order Protacrodontiformes
†Infraclass Cladoselachimorpha
†Order Cladoselachiformes
†Infraclass Xenacanthimorpha
†Order Xenacanthiformes
Infraclass Euselachii (sharks and rays)
†Order Ctenacanthiformes
†Division Hybodonta
†Order Hybodontiformes
Division Neoselachii
Subdivision Selachii (Selachimorpha) (modern sharks)
Superorder Galeomorphii
Order Heterodontiformes (bullhead sharks)
Order Orectolobiformes (carpet sharks)
Order Lamniformes (mackerel sharks)
Order Carcharhiniformes (ground sharks)
Superorder Squalomorphii
Order Hexanchiformes (frilled and cow sharks)
Order Squaliformes (dogfish sharks)
†Order Protospinaciformes
Order Squatiniformes (angel sharks)
Order Pristiophoriformes (sawsharks)
Subdivision Batoidea (rays, skates, and sawfish)

Order Torpediniformes (electric rays)

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Order Pristiformes (sawfishes)

Order Rajiformes (skates and relatives)
Order Myliobatiformes (stingrays and relatives)

Recent molecular studies suggest the Batoidea are not derived selachians as previously thought. Instead,
skates and rays are a monophyletic superorder within Elasmobranchii that shares a common ancestor
with the selachians.[18][19]

See also
Cartilaginous versus bony fishes
List of Elasmobranch cestodes, tape worms which infect sharks, rays and skates

References
1. Märss, Tiiu; Gagnier, Pierre-Yves (2001). "A new chondrichthyan from the Wenlock, Lower Silurian,
of Baillie-Hamilton Island, the Canadian Arctic". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 21 (4): 693–701.
doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2001)021[0693:ANCFTW]2.0.CO;2 (https://doi.org/10.1671%2F0272-4634%
282001%29021%5B0693%3AANCFTW%5D2.0.CO%3B2).
2. Vannuccini, Stefania (2002) Shark liver oil products (http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/x3690e/x3690e0
r.htm) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20130626203527/http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/x3690
e/x3690e0r.htm) 2013-06-26 at the Wayback Machine In: Shark Utilization, Marketing and Trade,
Fisheries Technical paper 389, FAO, Rome. ISBN 92-5-104361-2.
3. Fowler, S.L. (2005). "Cetorhinus maximus" (https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4292/10763893).
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2005: e.T4292A10763893.
doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2005.RLTS.T4292A10763893.en (https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2005.
RLTS.T4292A10763893.en).
4. "Galeorhinus galeus (School shark)" (https://www.iucnredlist.org/details/39352/0). IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species. 2005-06-17. 2005-06-17. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
5. Guallart; et al. (2006). "Centrophorus granulosus" (https://www.iucnredlist.org/details/39325/0). IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species. 2006. Retrieved 11 May 2006.
6. Benton, Michael J. (2015). Vertebrate Palaeontology (3rd ed.). Blackwell. p. 185.
ISBN 9781118406847. OCLC 945675149 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/945675149).
7. Hoenig, J.M. and Gruber, S.H. (1990) "Life-history patterns in the elasmobranchs: implications for
fisheries management" (http://spo.nwr.noaa.gov/tr90opt.pdf) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2
0130218135249/http://spo.nwr.noaa.gov/tr90opt.pdf) 2013-02-18 at the Wayback Machine In:
Elasmobranchs as living resources: advances in the biology, ecology, systematics and the status of
the fisheries, eds. J. H. L. Pratt, S. H. Gruber and T. Taniuchi, US Department of Commerce, NOAA
technical report NMFS 90, pp.1–16.
8. "Elasmobranchii" (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Elasmobranchii). Merriam-Webster
Dictionary.
9. Wilga, C.D. (2005). "Morphology and evolution of the jaw suspension in lamniform sharks". Journal
of Morphology. 265 (1): 102–19. doi:10.1002/jmor.10342 (https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fjmor.10342).
PMID 15880740 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15880740).
10. Wilga, C. D.; Motta, P. J.; Sanford, C. P. (2007). "Evolution and ecology of feeding in elasmobranchs"
(https://doi.org/10.1093%2Ficb%2Ficm029). Integrative and Comparative Biology. 47 (1): 55–69.
doi:10.1093/icb/icm029 (https://doi.org/10.1093%2Ficb%2Ficm029). PMID 21672820 (https://pubme
d.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21672820).

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11. Wilga, Cheryl A.D. (2008). "Evolutionary divergence in the feeding mechanism of fishes" (https://geoj
ournals.pgi.gov.pl/agp/article/view/9981). Acta Geologica Polonica. 58 (2): 113–20. Archived (https://
web.archive.org/web/20180819031736/https://geojournals.pgi.gov.pl/agp/article/view/9981) from the
original on 2018-08-19. Retrieved 2017-05-24.
12. Bigelow, Henry B.; Schroeder, William C. (1948). Fishes of the Western North Atlantic. Sears
Foundation for Marine Research, Yale University. pp. 64–65. ASIN B000J0D9X6 (https://www.amazo
n.com/dp/B000J0D9X6).
13. Oguri, M (1990) "A review of selected physiological characteristics unique to elasmobranchs" (http://
spo.nwr.noaa.gov/tr90opt.pdf) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20130218135249/http://spo.nw
r.noaa.gov/tr90opt.pdf) 2013-02-18 at the Wayback Machine In: Elasmobranchs as living resources:
advances in the biology, ecology, systematics and the status of the fisheries, eds. J. H. L. Pratt, S. H.
Gruber and T. Taniuchi, US Department of Commerce, NOAA technical report NMFS 90, pp.49–54.
14. Bone, Q.; Roberts, B. L. (2009). "The density of elasmobranchs". Journal of the Marine Biological
Association of the United Kingdom. 49 (4): 913. doi:10.1017/S0025315400038017 (https://doi.org/10.
1017%2FS0025315400038017).
15. Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals.
London: Marshall Editions. p. 26. ISBN 978-1-84028-152-1.
16. Lucifora, Luis O.; Balboni, Leandro; Scarabotti, Pablo A.; Alonso, Francisco A.; Sabadin, David E.;
Solari, Agustín; Vargas, Facundo; Barbini, Santiago A.; Mabragaña, Ezequiel; Díaz De Astarloa,
Juan M. (2017). "Decline or stability of obligate freshwater elasmobranchs following high fishing
pressure" (https://zenodo.org/record/889910/files/article.pdf) (PDF). Biological Conservation. 210:
293–298. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2017.04.028 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.biocon.2017.04.028).
17. Sievers, Michael; Brown, Christopher J.; Tulloch, Vivitskaia J.D.; Pearson, Ryan M.; Haig, Jodie A.;
Turschwell, Mischa P.; Connolly, Rod M. (May 2019). "The Role of Vegetated Coastal Wetlands for
Marine Megafauna Conservation". Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 34: 807–817.
doi:10.1016/j.tree.2019.04.004 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.tree.2019.04.004). hdl:10072/391960 (ht
tps://hdl.handle.net/10072%2F391960). PMID 31126633 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3112663
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18. Winchell, Christopher J; Martin, Andrew P; Mallatt, Jon (2004). "Phylogeny of elasmobranchs based
on LSU and SSU ribosomal RNA genes". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 31 (1): 214–24.
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PMID 15019621 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15019621).
19. Douady, Christophe J.; Dosay, Miné; Shivji, Mahmood S.; Stanhope, Michael J. (2003). "Molecular
phylogenetic evidence refuting the hypothesis of Batoidea (rays and skates) as derived sharks".
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 26 (2): 215–21. doi:10.1016/S1055-7903(02)00333-0 (http
s://doi.org/10.1016%2FS1055-7903%2802%2900333-0). PMID 12565032 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.
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External links
Skaphandrus.com Elasmobranchii (https://web.archive.org/web/20130128093158/http://skaphandru
s.com/en/marine_species/class/Elasmobranchii)

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