The Lamniformes are an order of sharks commonly known as mackerel sharks. It includes some of the most familiar species of sharks, such as the great white, as well as more unusual representatives, such as the goblin shark and megamouth shark.
Carcharodon is a genus of sharks within the family Lamnidae, colloquially called the "white sharks." The only extant member is the great white shark. The extant species was preceded by a number of fossil (extinct) species including C. hubbelli and C. hastalis. The first appearance of the genus may have been as early as the Early Miocene or Late Oligocene.
Megalodon, meaning "big tooth", is an extinct species of mackerel shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago (Mya), from the Early Miocene to the Pliocene epochs. It was formerly thought to be a member of the family Lamnidae and a close relative of the great white shark. However, it is now classified into the extinct family Otodontidae, which diverged from the great white shark during the Early Cretaceous.
Cretoxyrhina is an extinct genus of large mackerel shark that lived about 107 to 73 million years ago during the late Albian to late Campanian of the Late Cretaceous. The type species, C. mantelli, is more commonly referred to as the Ginsu shark, first popularized in reference to the Ginsu knife, as its theoretical feeding mechanism is often compared with the "slicing and dicing" when one uses the knife. Cretoxyrhina is traditionally classified as the likely sole member of the family Cretoxyrhinidae but other taxonomic placements have been proposed, such as within the Alopiidae and Lamnidae.
Megachasma is a genus of mackerel sharks. It is usually considered to be the sole genus in the distinct family Megachasmidae, though suggestion has been made that it may belong in the family Cetorhinidae, of which the basking shark is currently the sole extant member. Megachasma is known from a single living species, Megachasma pelagios.
Scapanorhynchus is an extinct genus of shark that lived from the early Cretaceous until possibly the Miocene if S. subulatus is a mitsukurinid and not a sand shark. Their extreme similarities to the living goblin shark, Mitsukurina owstoni, lead some experts to consider reclassifying it as Scapanorhynchus owstoni. However, most shark specialists regard the goblin shark to be distinct enough from its prehistoric relatives to merit placement in its own genus.
Otodus is an extinct, cosmopolitan genus of mackerel shark which lived from the Paleocene to the Pliocene epoch. The name Otodus comes from Ancient Greek ὠτ- and ὀδούς – thus, "ear-shaped tooth".
Sharks continually shed their teeth; some Carcharhiniformes shed approximately 35,000 teeth in a lifetime, replacing those that fall out. There are four basic types of shark teeth: dense flattened, needle-like, pointed lower with triangular upper, and non-functional. The type of tooth that a shark has depends on its diet and feeding habits.
Otodus angustidens is a species of prehistoric megatoothed sharks in the genus Otodus, which lived during the Oligocene and Miocene epochs about 33 to 22 million years ago. The largest individuals were about 11–12 metres (36–39 ft) long. This shark is related to another extinct megatoothed shark, Otodus megalodon.
Otodus chubutensis, meaning "ear-shaped tooth of Chubut", from Ancient Greek ὠτ and ὀδούς – thus, "ear-shaped tooth", is an extinct species of prehistoric megatoothed sharks in the genus Otodus, that lived during Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene epochs, approximately 28 – 5 million years ago. The largest individuals were about 13.5 metres (44 ft) long. This shark is considered to be a close relative of the famous prehistoric megatoothed shark, O. megalodon. However, as is the case with O. megalodon, the classification of this species is disputed.
Otodus auriculatus is an extinct species of large sharks in the genus Otodus of the family Otodontidae, closely related to the sharks of the genus Otodus, and also closely related to the later species megalodon. The largest individuals were about 9.5 metres (31 ft) long. Its teeth were large, having coarse serrations on the cutting edge, and also with two large cusplets. The teeth can reach up to 130 millimetres (5.1 in), and belonged to a large "megatoothed" shark.
Cretalamna is a genus of extinct otodontid shark that lived from the latest Early Cretaceous to Eocene epoch. It is considered by many to be the ancestor of the largest sharks to have ever lived, Otodus angustidens, Otodus chubutensis, and Otodus megalodon.
Carcharodon hubbelli, also known as Hubbell's white shark, is an extinct species of white shark that evolved between 8 and 5 million years ago during the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene epochs. This shark is a transitional species, showing intermediate features between the extant great white shark and the fossil white shark, Carcharodon hastalis. C. hubbelli appears to be geographically restricted to the Pacific Ocean, with fossils of C. hubbelli recovered from Peru, Chile, California, and New Zealand. This exclusive distribution suggests a Pacific origin for the great white shark.
Palaeocarcharodon, also known as the pygmy white shark, is a genus of shark within the family Otodontidae that lived about 61.7 to 55.8 Ma during the Paleocene. It currently contains a sole species P. orientalis.
Cosmopolitodus is an extinct genus of mackerel shark that lived between thirty and one million years ago during the late Oligocene to the Early Pleistocene epochs. Its type species is Cosmopolitodus hastalis, the broad-tooth mako. In 2021, Isurus planus was reassigned to the genus, and thus became the second species C. planus. Its teeth can reach lengths up to 3.5 in (7.5 cm) and are found worldwide. It is believed to be an ancestor to the great white shark, an argument supported by the transitional species Carcharodon hubbelli, but as of 2021, no phylogenetic analyses have been done for proof.
Parotodus, commonly known as the false-toothed mako shark, is an extinct genus of mackerel shark that lived approximately 53 to one million years ago during the Eocene and Pleistocene epochs. Its teeth, which are found worldwide, are often prized by fossil collectors due to their rarity. The scarcity of fossils is because Parotodus likely primarily inhabited open oceans far away from the continents.
Megalolamna is an extinct genus of lamniform shark that belongs to the family Otodontidae. Its name comes from the similarity of its teeth to those of the extant shark genus Lamna. It is known from the early Miocene Chilcatay Formation of Peru, Oi and O'oshimojo Formations of Japan, and the Jewett Sand Formation of California and Pungo River Formation, North Carolina in the United States, implying a cosmopolitan distribution. The largest specimen is estimated to have measured about 5.1 metres (17 ft) long.
Otodus aksuaticus is an extinct species of large shark in the family Otodontidae which may represent a transitional species between Otodus obliquus and Otodus auriculatus. They are similar in overall morphology to Otodus obliquus except they have serrations on their cusps and blade. It is sometimes placed in the genus Otodus. It is mainly found in the Ypresian stage of the Eocene epoch. They have been found in the Woodstock Member of the Nanjemoy Formation of Maryland and Virginia and Ypresian sediments in Aktulagay, Kazakhstan as well as the Ypres clay in Belgium and the London Clay in the United Kingdom.
Otodus sokolovi is an extinct species or chronospecies of large shark in the family Otodontidae which may represent a transitional chronospecies between Otodus auriculatus and Otodus angustidens. They differ from the former with a less curved root and finer serrations and from the latter with more prominent and recurved cusps. Due to the subtle differences, it is sometimes lumped into O. auriculatus. It, along with the rest of Otodus, is sometimes placed in the genus Carcharocles. Due to its similarities with other chronospecies, it is difficult to tell exactly when it arose and went extinct. Generally, it is said to span from the late Eocene to early Oligocene. They are best known from the late Eocene localities around Dakhla, Morocco and Fayum, Egypt but are represented in many deposits of contemporary age. It measured at least 6 metres (20 ft) long.
Palaeocarcharias is an extinct genus of shark, known from the Middle-Late Jurassic of Europe. It has only a single named species, P. stromeri, which is known from exceptionally preserved specimens from the Late Jurassic (Tithonian) of Germany. Morphologically, it closely resembles carpet sharks (Orectolobiformes), and is around 1 metre (3.3 ft) in total body length. However, it shares greater similarities in tooth development with mackerel sharks (Lamniformes), including the absence of orthodentine, and is now considered to be the earliest known member of the Lamniformes.
