Squatiniformes is an order of sharks belonging to Squalomorphii. It contains only a single living genus Squatina, commonly known as angelsharks. The oldest genus of the order, Pseudorhina is known from the Late Jurassic of Europe.[1] Three other genera, Cretasquatina, Cretascyllium and Parasquatina are known from Cretaceous fossils from North America and Europe,[2][3] though the placement of Parasquatina in the order has been questioned.[1] All living and extinct members of the order share a similar body morphology[2] with a highly flattened body with enlarged pectoral and pelvic fins suggestive of a bottom-dwelling ambush predator ecology.[4] Teeth have been assigned to the modern genus from the Late Jurassic onwards, but the actual genus assignment of many of these species is unclear.[2] The earliest records that can be assigned with confidence to the modern genus are known from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) of England.[1]
| Squatiniformes Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Squatina dumeril | |
 | |
| Fossil of Pseudorhina from the Late Jurassic of Germany | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Subdivision: | Selachimorpha |
| Superorder: | Squalomorphii |
| Order: | Squatiniformes Compagno, 1973 |
| Families | |
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