Oxynotus Fossil range: 23–0 Ma[1] PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N Lower Miocene to Present Prickly dogfish (O. bruniensis) Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chondrichthyes Subclass: Elasmobranchii Order: Squaliformes Family: Oxynotidae Gill, 1812 Genus: Oxynotus Rafinesque , 1810 Type species Oxynotus centrina Rafinesque, 1810

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Oxynotus is a genus of sharks in the order Squaliformes, commonly known as the rough sharks. It is the only extant genus in the family Oxynotidae. They live in deep waters in the Atlantic and western Pacific oceans.

Rough sharks are small to medium in size, ranging from 49 centimetres (1.6 ft) to 150 centimetres (4.9 ft) in adult body length, depending on species. Their bodies are compressed, giving them a triangular cross-section. They have two large dorsal fins, each with a sharp spine, and with the first fin placed far forward above the head. Even more so than their relatives, the dogfishes, they have rough and prickly skin. Unusually among sharks, they also possess a luminous organ.^[2]

[edit] Species

• Prickly dogfish, Oxynotus bruniensis (Ogilby, 1893)
• Caribbean roughshark, Oxynotus caribbaeus Cervigón, 1961
• Angular roughshark, Oxynotus centrina (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Japanese roughshark, Oxynotus japonicus Yano & Murofushi, 1985
• Sailfin roughshark, Oxynotus paradoxus Frade, 1929

[edit] See also

• List of prehistoric cartilaginous fish

[edit] References