#elasmobranch__selachian any of numerous fishes of the class Chondrichthyes characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton and placoid scales: sharks; rays; skates
supertype: #cartilaginous_fish__cartilaginousfish__chondrichthian fishes in which the skeleton may be calcified but not ossified
member of: #subclass_Elasmobranchii
subtype: #shark any of numerous elongate mostly marine carnivorous fishes with heterocercal caudal fins and tough skin covered with small toothlike scales
subtype: #cow_shark__cowshark__six-gilled_shark__Hexanchus_griseus large primitive shark widely distributed in warm seas
subtype: #mackerel_shark fierce pelagic and oceanic sharks
subtype: #porbeagle__Lamna_nasus voracious pointed-nose shark of northern Atlantic and Pacific
subtype: #mako_shark__mako powerful mackerel shark of the Atlantic and Pacific
subtype: #shortfin_mako__Isurus_oxyrhincus very swift active bluish shark found worldwide in warm waters; important game fish
subtype: #longfin_mako__longfinmako__Isurus_paucus similar to shortfin mako but darker blue
subtype: #bonito_shark__blue_pointed__Isurus_glaucus common blue-gray shark of southwest Pacific; sport and food fish
subtype: #great_white_shark__greatwhiteshark__white_shark__whiteshark__man-eater__maneater__man-eating_shark__Carcharodon_carcharias large aggressive shark widespread in warm seas; known to attack humans
subtype: #basking_shark__baskingshark__Cetorhinus_maximus large harmless plankton-eating northern shark; often swims slowly or floats at the sea surface
subtype: #thresher_shark__thresher__thrasher__fox_shark__foxshark__Alopius_vulpinus large pelagic shark of warm seas with a whiplike tail used to round up small fish on which to feed
subtype: #carpet_shark__Orectolobus_barbatus shark of the western Pacific with flattened body and mottled skin
subtype: #nurse_shark__Ginglymostoma_cirratum small bottom-dwelling shark of warm shallow waters on both coasts of North and South America and from southeast Asia to Australia
subtype: #sand_tiger__sand_shark__Carcharias_taurus__Odontaspis_taurus shallow-water shark with sharp jagged teeth found on both sides of Atlantic; sometimes dangerous to swimmers
subtype: #whale_shark__whaleshark__Rhincodon_typus large spotted shark of warm surface waters worldwide; resembles a whale and feeds chiefly on plankton
subtype: #cat_shark__catshark small bottom-dwelling sharks with catlike eyes; found along continental slopes
subtype: #requiem_shark__requiemshark any of numerous sharks from small relatively harmless bottom-dwellers to large dangerous oceanic and coastal species
subtype: #bull_shark__cub_shark__cubshark__Carcharhinus_leucas a most common shark in temperate and tropical coastal waters worldwide; heavy-bodied and dangerous
subtype: #sandbar_shark__sandbarshark__Carcharhinus_plumbeus most common gray shark along coasts of middle Atlantic states; sluggish and occasionally caught by fishermen
subtype: #blacktip_shark__sandbar_shark__sandbarshark__Carcharhinus_limbatus widely distributed shallow-water shark with fins seemingly dipped in ink
subtype: #oceanic_whitetip_shark__whitetip_shark__white-tipped_shark__Carcharinus_longimanus large deep-water shark with white-tipped dorsal fin; worldwide distribution; most dangerous shark
subtype: #dusky_shark__duskyshark__Carcharhinus_obscurus relatively slender blue-gray shark; nearly worldwide in tropical and temperate waters
subtype: #lemon_shark__Negaprion_brevirostris common shallow-water schooling shark of the Atlantic from North Carolina to Brazil and off west Africa; dangerous
subtype: #great_blue_shark__blue_shark__Prionace_glauca slender cosmopolitan, pelagic shark; blue body shades to white belly; dangerous especially during maritime disasters
subtype: #tiger_shark__Galeocerdo_cuvieri large dangerous warm-water shark with striped or spotted body
subtype: #soupfin_shark__soupfinshark__soupfin__Galeorhinus_zyopterus Pacific shark valued for its fins (used by Chinese in soup) and liver (rich in vitamin A)
subtype: #dogfish any of several small sharks
subtype: #smooth_dogfish small bottom-dwelling shark found along both Atlantic coasts
subtype: #smoothhound_shark__smoothhoundshark__smoothhound__Mustelus_mustelus smooth dogfish of European coastal waters
subtype: #American_smooth_dogfish__Mustelus_canis found along the Atlantic coast of the Americas
subtype: #Florida_smoothhound__Mustelus_norrisi found from the northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil
subtype: #reef_whitetip_shark__whitetip_shark__Triaenodon_obseus smooth dogfish of Pacific and Indian oceans and Red Sea having white-tipped dorsal and caudal fins
subtype: #spiny_dogfish__spinydogfish small bottom-dwelling dogfishes
subtype: #Atlantic_spiny_dogfish__Squalus_acanthias destructive dogfish of American and European Atlantic coastal waters; widely used in anatomy classes
subtype: #Pacific_spiny_dogfish__Squalus_suckleyi dogfish of Pacific coast of North America
subtype: #hammerhead_shark__hammerhead medium-sized live-bearing shark with eyes at either end of a flattened hammer-shaped head; worldwide in warm waters; can be dangerous
subtype: #smooth_hammerhead__Sphyrna_zygaena fished for the hides and vitamin-rich liver
subtype: #smalleye_hammerhead__Sphyrna_tudes fished for the hide and vitamin-rich liver
subtype: #shovelhead__bonnethead__bonnet_shark__Sphyrna_tiburo small harmless hammerhead having a spade-shaped head; abundant in bays and estuaries
subtype: #angel_shark__angelshark__angelfish__Squatina_squatina__monkfish sharks with broad flat bodies and winglike pectoral fins but that swim the way sharks do
subtype: #ray cartilaginous fishes having horizontally flattened bodies and enlarged winglike pectoral fins with gills on the underside; most swim by moving the pectoral fins
subtype: #electric_ray__crampfish__numbfish__torpedo any sluggish bottom-dwelling ray of the order Torpediniformes having a rounded body and electric organs on each side of the head capable of emitting strong electric discharges
subtype: #sawfish primitive ray with sharp teeth on each edge of a long flattened snout
subtype: #smalltooth_sawfish__Pristis_pectinatus commonly found in tropical bays and estuaries; not aggressive
subtype: #guitarfish primitive tropical bottom-dwelling ray with a guitar-shaped body
subtype: #stingray large venomous ray with large barbed spines near the base of a thin whiplike tail capable of inflicting severe wounds
subtype: #roughtail_stingray__roughtailstingray__Dasyatis_centroura one of the largest stingrays; found from Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras
subtype: #butterfly_ray__butterflyray short-tailed broad-finned stingray
subtype: #eagle_ray__eagleray powerful free-swimming tropical ray noted for `soaring' by flapping winglike fins; usually harmless but has venomous tissue near base of the tail as in stingrays
subtype: #spotted_eagle_ray__spottedeagleray__spotted_ray__spottedray__Aetobatus_narinari ray with back covered with white or yellow spots; widely distributed in warm seas
subtype: #cownose_ray__cownoseray__cow-nosed_ray__cownosedray__Rhinoptera_bonasus large ray found along eastern coast of North America
subtype: #manta_ray__mantaray__manta__devilfish extremely large pelagic tropical ray that feeds on plankton and small fishes; usually harmless but its size make it dangerous if harpooned
subtype: #Atlantic_manta__Manta_birostris largest manta (to 22 feet across wings); found worldwide but common in Gulf of Mexico and along southern coasts of United States; primarily oceanic
subtype: #devil_ray__devilray__Mobula_hypostoma small manta (to 4 feet) that travels in schools
subtype: #skate large edible rays having a long snout and thick tail with pectoral fins continuous with the head; swim by undulating the edges of the pectoral fins
subtype: #gray_skate__Raja_batis common European skate used as food
subtype: #little_skate__Raja_erinacea most plentiful skate in North American inshore waters in summer; to 21 inches
subtype: #thorny_skate__Raja_radiata cold-water bottom fish with spines on the back; to 40 inches
subtype: #barndoor_skate__Raja_laevis one of the largest skates (to 5 feet); an active skate easy to hook
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