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 less familiar ones, such as the goblin shark and megamouth shark.
Squalicorax, commonly known as the crow shark, is a genus of extinct lamniform shark known to have lived during the Cretaceous period. The genus had a global distribution in the Late Cretaceous epoch. Multiple species within this genus are considered to be wastebasket taxon due to morphological similarities in the teeth.
Chlamydoselachus is a genus of sharks and the sole extant member of the family Chlamydoselachidae, in the order Hexanchiformes. It contains two extant and four extinct species. The most widely known species still surviving is the frilled shark. It is known as a living fossil, along with Chlamydoselachus africana, also known as the southern African frilled shark, which is only found along coastal areas of South Africa. The only two extant species of this genus are deep-sea creatures which are typically weakened in areas closer to the surface. While the two extant species are similar in external appearance, they differ internally.
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".
Carcharias is a genus of mackerel sharks belonging to the family Odontaspididae. Once bearing many prehistoric species, all have gone extinct with the exception of the critically endangered sand tiger shark.
Otodus angustidens is an extinct species of prehistoric megatoothed sharks in the genus Otodus, which lived during the Late Eocene and Miocene epochs about 34 to 21 million years ago. The largest individuals were about 11–12 metres (36–39 ft) long. This shark is related to another extinct megatoothed shark, the famous Otodus megalodon.
Ptychodus is a genus of extinct large durophagous (shell-crushing) lamniform sharks from the Cretaceous period, spanning from the Albian to the Campanian. Fossils of Ptychodus teeth are found in many Late Cretaceous marine sediments worldwide.
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, such as Otodus angustidens, Otodus chubutensis, and Otodus megalodon.
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. However, some researchers still consider both species of Cosmopolitodus as species of Carcharodon.
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. While the placement of Parotodus with the Lamniformes has been debated, most researchers agree it was probably a member of a now extinct shark clade, either a otodontid or a cardabiodont. In any case, it would have been the last members of either group. While originally being suspected of dying out at the very end of the Pliocene, fossils found in the Waccamaw Formation show that it made it to the Pleistocene.
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.
Paraisurus is an extinct genus of mackerel sharks that lived during the Cretaceous. It contains four valid species, which have been found in Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia. A fifth species, P. amudarjensis, is now considered a synonym of P. compressus. While this genus is mostly known from isolated teeth, an associated dentition of P. compressus was found in the Weno Formation of Texas. It went extinct around the Albian-Cenomanian boundary, as a supposed Coniacian occurrence of "P. sp." is likely a misidentified pseudoscapanorhynchid.
Abdounia is an extinct genus of requiem shark which lived during the Paleogene period. It is mainly known from isolated teeth. It is one of the earliest requiem sharks, and attained widespread success in North America, Europe, and Africa.
Carcharoides is an extinct genus of mackerel shark which lived during the Oligocene and Miocene epochs. It is a widespread genus, known from specimens in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Australia. It is most common in the European portion of its range, being comparatively uncommon in other places. It is only known from isolated teeth, which are relatively delicate.
Isurolamna is an extinct genus of mackerel shark from the Paleogene period. It contains at least three species and a fourth is sometimes placed in it. It is thought to be closely related to Macrorhizodus, Isurus, and Cosmopolitodus. Isurolamna arose in the Paleocene epoch during the Selandian age, and was extinct by the close of the Rupelian age of the Oligocene epoch. Some features which define this genus include a small, elliptical foramen (hole) in the middle of the lingual side of the root, triangular cusps except on lower interior teeth, and a relatively thick root with nearly vertical margins. The genus has a complicated taxonomic past.
Macrorhizodus is an extinct genus of mackerel shark which lived from the early Eocene to early Oligocene epoch of the Paleogene period. It is often considered ancestral to Isurus and sometimes considered part of it. Macrorhizodus is also likely ancestral to Cosmopolitodus. It seems to be related to Isurolamna. It is known from isolated teeth and vertebral centra as well as at least two associated dentitions. It is an incredibly widespread shark, known from every continent except Australia. This includes a report from Antarctica.
Lethenia is an extinct genus of mackerel shark from the Rupelian age of the Oligocene epoch. It is a monotypic genus, containing only L. vandenbroeki. It is considered closely related to Isurolamna and sometimes included within it. It differs in the morphology of its teeth, which are much more gracile than Isurolamna and has larger spacing between its crown and lateral cusps. Lethenia is rare and only known from isolated teeth. It is best known from the Boom Clay Formation of Belgium and the Uzunbas Formation of Kazakhstan.
Burnhamia is an extinct genus of devil ray from the Paleogene period. Due to superficial similarities, some species were originally mistaken for Cownose rays and placed in the genus Rhinoptera. It is known exclusively from dental batteries, mostly isolated teeth. There are several species attributed to this genus but their relation to each other is still unresolved. Some have proposed the type species B. daviesi arises in the late Paleocene and persists until the middle Eocene giving rise to the similar genus Eoplinthicus with an earlier offshoot leading to smaller and less ornamented species in the lower Eocene, namely B. fetahi. B. fetahi is known from Morocco and North America. B. daviesi was described from the London Clay Formation, but is well known from Eocene deposits throughout Asia, Europe, North Africa, and North America. However, teeth from the Claiborne Group of Alabama show teeth identical to B. daviesi coexisting with Eoplinthicus in the Bartonian. A Ypresian species, B. nessovi, known from a singular site in Kazakhstan was tentatively ascribed to the genus, though more material may show it warrant its own. B. crimensis is known from the Bartonian and Priabonian of Crimea.
Palaeocarcharias is an extinct genus of shark, known from the Jurassic of Europe. It has only a single named species, Palaeocarcharias stromeri, which is known from exceptionally preserved specimens from the Late Jurassic (Tithonian) of Germany and France. Isolated teeth of indeterminate species from England extend the range of the genus back to the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian). 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 has been suggested to the earliest known member of the Lamniformes or a member of a sister group to the Lamniformes. A 2018 study suggested that should be classified as the sole member of the order Palaeocarchariiformes, but a subsequent 2023 study questioned this and favoured placement in Lamniformes.
Tethylamna is an extinct genus of mackerel sharks that lived during the Eocene. It contains one valid species, T. dunni, and another potential species, T. twiggsensis. Its fossils have been found in North America, South America, Africa, and Asia. T. twiggsensis has also been assigned to Brachycarcharias.
