dalatiidae kitefin SHARKS

Taxonomy:

Phylum– Chordata

Class– Chondrichthyles

SubclassElasmobranchii

Order– Squaliformes

Common NameDogfish Sharks

 

The Dalatiidae are the family of Kitefin sharks of the order Squaliformes. The Kitefin sharks in this family are small, under 6.6 feet long, and are found worldwide. They have cigar-shaped bodies with narrow heads and rounded snouts. Several species have specialized bioluminescent organs, possibly for the use of counter illumination. Most of these species undergo diel vertical migration, or DVM. This family of sharks contains some of the world’s smallest sharks.