Elasmobranchs: Classification, and Key Characteristics of Cartilaginous Fishes

Sobhana, K S (2025) Elasmobranchs: Classification, and Key Characteristics of Cartilaginous Fishes. ICAR Short Term Training Manual on Integrated Taxonomic Techniques for Marine Biodiversity Conservation. pp. 34-58.

Text CMFRI Training Manual Series No. 48_2025_Sobhana K S_Elasmobranch.pdf Download (1MB)

Abstract

Cartilaginous fish (sharks, rays, skates, guitarfishes, and chimaeras) are a captivating group contributing to marine biodiversity. Elasmobranchs, a subclass of Chondrichtheys, possess a cartilaginous skeleton, unlike bony fishes (Osteichthyes). Chondrichtheys, an ancient taxon dating back to 400 million years, comprises Elasmobranchii and Holocephali. Elasmobranchs inhabit diverse marine environments globally, from shallow coastal waters to deep trenches, with over 869 extant species (around 400 sharks). They occupy habitats from nearshore to abyssal depths, from the equator to the poles, including some freshwater and hypersaline waters, primarily in tropical and temperate marine regions. Deep-sea exploration will likely uncover more species. Taxonomic revisions, including reclassification and renaming, contribute to our understanding of elasmobranch phylogeny and evolutionary history.

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