| Ground sharks |
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| Families |
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Scyliorhinidae (cat sharks)
Proscyllidae (finback cat sharks)
Pseudotriakidae (false cat sharks)
Leptochariidae (barbeled houndshark)
Triakidae (hound sharks)
Hemigaleidae (weasel sharks)
Carcharhinidae (requiem sharks)
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The ground sharks, order Carcharhiniformes, are the largest order of sharks, with over 270 species, and includes a number of common types, such as the blue shark, and sandbar shark. They are also called "whaler sharks".
Members of the orders are characterized by the presence of a nictitating membrane over the eye, two dorsal fins, an anal fin, and five gill slits.
The families of the carcharhiniforms are expected to be revised; recent DNA studies show that some of the traditional groups are not monophyletic.
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