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Paragaleus leucolomatus Compagno & Smale, 1985 Whitefin Weasel Shark Paragaleus leucolomatus Compagno & Smale, 1985: 9, figs. 2–8. Holotype (unique): SAIAB [formerly RUSI] 21175. Type locality: Southeast of Kosi Bay mouth, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, southwestern Indian Ocean, depth 20 m. Local synonymy: Paragaleus leucolomatus: Compagno & Smale, 1985: 9, figs. 2–8; Bass et al., 1986: 83, fig. 9.30; Compagno, 1988a: 35; Compagno et al., 1989: 60, pl.; Compagno, 1999: 119; Compagno et al., 2005: 286, fi.g, pl. 49; Ebert et al., 2013 a: 435, fig., pl. 60; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 146; Weigmann, 2016: 863. South Africa voucher material: Holotype: SAIAB 21175. A few other specimens are in the fish collections of SAIAB and SAM, but are uncatalogued. South African distribution: Sodwana Bay to the KZN border with Mozambique. Remarks: A rare species known from a few specimens caught between southern Mozambique and Sodwana Bay. Local beach anglers in northern KZN are familiar with this species, but release them if caught (R. Kyle, Oceanographic Research Institute, pers. comm.). Conservation status: VU (2020).

Hemipristis elongata (Klunzinger, 1871) Snaggletooth Shark Dirrhizodon elongatus Klunzinger, 1871: 665. Holotype: SMNS 1640 (dry); probably lost. Type locality: Al-Qusair, Egypt, Red Sea. Local synonymy: Hemipristis elongatus: Bass et al., 1975b: 29, fig. 18; Compagno, 1984b: 440, fig.; Compagno, 1988a: 16; Compagno et al., 1989: 60, pl.; Compagno, 1999: 119; Compagno et al., 2005: 285, fig., pl. 49. Hemipristis elongata Bass et al., 1986: 79, fig. 9.21; Ebert et al., 2013 a: 435, fig., pl. 60; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 146; Weigmann, 2016: 863. South Africa voucher material: No South African caught specimens are held at SAIAB or SAM. South African distribution: Margate (KZN) is the southernmost extent of its range in South African waters (Bass et al., 1975b). Remarks: The species is occasionally observed in South African waters but appears to be more common to the north in East Africa. Conservation status: VU (2016). Genus Paragaleus Budker, 1935 Slender Weasel Sharks Paragaleus Budker, 1935: 107. Type species: Paragaleus gruveli Budker, 1935, by monotypy., Published as part of Ebert, David A., Wintner, Sabine P. & Kyne, Peter M., 2021, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa, pp. 1-127 in Zootaxa 4947 (1) on page 59, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4947.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4614567, {"references":["Klunzinger, C. B. (1871) Synopsis der Fische des Rothen Meeres. II. Theil. Verhandlungen der K. - K. zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien, 21, 441 - 688. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 14760","Bass, A. J., D'Aubrey, J. D. & Kistnasamy, N. (1975 b) Sharks of the east coast of southern Africa. III. The families Carcharhinidae (excluding Mustelus and Carcharhinus) and Sphyrnidae. Investigational Report. Oceanographic Research Institute, Durban, 38, 1 - 100.","Compagno, L. J. V. (1984 b) FAO Species Catalogue. Sharks of the World. An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Shark Species Known to Date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis. Vol. 4. No. 125. Part 2. Carcharhiniformes. FAO, Rome, pp. 251 - 655.","Compagno, L. J. V. (1988 a) Sharks of the Order Carcharhiniformes. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 486 pp.","Compagno, L. J. V., Ebert, D. A. & Smale, M. J. (1989) Guide to the Sharks and Rays of Southern Africa. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, 158 pp.","Compagno, L. J. V. (1999) An overview of chondrichthyan systematics and biodiversity in southern Africa. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 54, 75 - 120. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00359199909520406","Compagno, L., Dando, M. & Fowler, S. (2005) Field Guide to the Sharks of the World. Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, London, 368 pp.","Bass, A. J. & Compagno, L. J. V. (1986) Families Echinorhinidae, Proscyllidae, Odontaspidiidae, Mitsukurinidae. In: Smith, M. M. & Heemstra, P. C. (Eds.), Smith's Sea Fishes. Macmillan, Johannesburg, pp. 63 + 103 + 104 - 105.","Ebert, D. A., Fowler, S. & Compagno, L. J. V. (2013) Sharks of the World: A Fully Illustrated Guide to the Sharks of the World. Wild Nature Press, Plymouth, 528 pp.","Ebert, D. A. & van Hees, K. E. (2015) Beyond jaws: rediscovering the \" Lost Sharks \" of southern Africa. African Journal of Marine Science, 37, 141 - 156. https: // doi. org / 10.2989 / 1814232 X. 2015.1048730","Weigmann, S. (2016) Annotated checklist of the living sharks, batoids and chimaeras (Chondrichthyes) of the world, with a focus on biogeographical diversity. Journal of Fish Biology, 88, 837 - 1037. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / jfb. 12874","Budker, P. (1935) Description d'un genre nouveau de la famille des Carcharinides. Bulletin du Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Serie 2, 7 (2), 107 - 112."]}

An annotated checklist of chondrichthyan fishes (sharks, batoids, and chimaeras) occurring in South African waters is presented. The checklist is the result of decades of research and on-going systematic revisions of the regional fauna. The chondrichthyan fauna of South Africa is one of the richest in the world with 191 species, comprising 50 families and 103 genera. It consists of 30 families, 64 genera, and 111 species of sharks; 17 families, 36 genera, and 72 species of batoids; and, 3 families, 5 genera, and 8 species of chimaeras. The most species-rich shark families are the whaler sharks Carcharhinidae with 20 species followed by the deepwater catsharks Pentanchidae with 13 species. The most species-rich batoid families are the hardnose stakes Rajidae with at least 21 species followed by the stingrays Dasyatidae with 13 species. This monograph represents the first detailed annotated checklist of chondrichthyans from South Africa in over 30 years.

Hemipristis curvatus (Dames, 1883) EXAMINED MATERIAL. — Five broken isolated teeth, figured material includes FSAC Bouj-343. DESCRIPTION An upper tooth (Fig. 4D) belonging to the snuggle tooth shark Hemipristis curvatus was recovered from the Locality 1. The crown is compressed labio-lingually, slanted distally with unserrated mesial cutting edge. REMARKS The snuggle tooth shark, Hemipristis curvatus is known in all the tropical seas during the late Eocene, from Western Neotethys (e.g., Case & Cappetta 1990; Mustafa & Zalmout 2002; Underwood et al. 2011) to western central Atlantic (e.g., Case & Borodin 2000). Its occurrence in the middle Eocene is less usual (Underwood et al. 2011). Only two teeth were recorded in MI (Underwood et al. 2011), it becomes common from the GE A-C (around the Bartonian/Priabonian boundary) and within the rest of the BQ (Priabonian)., Published as part of Zouhri, Samir, Gingerich, Philip D., Khalloufi, Bouziane, Bourdon, Estelle, Adnet, Sylvain, Jouve, Stéphane, Elboudali, Najia, Amane, Ayoub, Rage, Jean-Claude & Tabuce, Rodolphe, 2021, Middle Eocene vertebrate fauna from the Aridal Formation, Sabkha of Gueran, southwestern Morocco, pp. 121-150 in Geodiversitas 43 (5) on pages 127-129, DOI: 10.5252/geodiversitas2021v43a5, http://zenodo.org/record/4605963, {"references":["CASE G. R. & CAPPETTA H. 1990. - The Eocene Selachians Fauna from the Fayum Depression in Egypt. Palaeontographica Abteilung A 212: 1 - 30.","MUSTAFA H. & ZALMOUT I. 2002. - Elasmobranchs from the late Eocene Wadi Esh-Shallala Formation of Qa'Faydatad Dahikiya, east Jordan. Tertiary Research 21 (1 / 4): 77 - 94.","UNDERWOOD C. J., WARD D. J., KING C., ANTAR S. M., ZAL- MOUT I. S. & GINGERICH P. D. 2011. - Shark and ray faunas in the middle and late Eocene of the Fayum area, Egypt. Proceedings of the Geologists' Association 122: 47 - 66. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. pgeola. 20","CASE G. R. & BORODIN P. D. 2000. - Late Eocene selachian from the Irwinton Sand Member of the Barnwell Formation (Jacksonian), WKA mines, Gordon, Wilkinson County, Georgy. Munchner Geowissenschaftliche Abhandlungen 39: 5 - 16."]}

Em mamíferos, a nutrição intrauterina de embriões ocorre através da placenta. Porém, em tubarões vivíparos placentários da ordem Carcharhiniformes (famílias Leptochariidae, Triakidae, Hemigaleidae e Carcharhinidae), a nutrição de embriões pode ocorrer de três formas: lecitotrofia (vitelo); histotrofia (secreções uterinas) e placentotrofia. Nesta revisão, é discutida a similitude anatômica, fisiológica e, principalmente imunológica, entre as placentas de tubarões e de mamíferos, mostrando que a tolerância materno-fetal em tubarões placentários e mamíferos é dependente de proteínas como a indoleamina 2,3 – dioxigenase, interleucina-1 e proteínas específicas da gestação.

Genus Tethylamna Cappetta & Case, 2016 Type species Tethylamna dunni Cappetta & Case, 2016, contact of the Lisbon and Tallahatta formations, site ACov-11, Covington County, Alabama, USA., Published as part of Ebersole, Jun A., Cicimurri, David J. & Stringer, Gary L., 2019, Taxonomy and biostratigraphy of the elasmobranchs and bony fishes (Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes) of the lower-to-middle Eocene (Ypresian to Bartonian) Claiborne Group in Alabama, USA, including an analysis of otoliths, pp. 1-274 in European Journal of Taxonomy 585 on page 53, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2019.585, http://zenodo.org/record/3660259, {"references":["Cappetta H. & Case G. R. 2016. A selachian fauna from the middle Eocene (Lutetian, Lisbon Formation) of Andalusia, Covington County, Alabama, USA. Palaeontographica Abteilung A 307 (1 - 6): 43 - 103."]}

Hemipristis curvatus Dames, 1883 Fig. 24 Hemipristis curvatus Dames, 1883: 140, pl. 3, fig. 4a–b. Hemipristis wyattdurhami White, 1956: 134, text-pl. figs 40–47, pl. 11, fig. 4. Hemipristis serra – Woodward 1889: 451. Hemipristis wyattdurhami – Thurmond & Jones 1981: 63, fig. 29. Material examined UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – Alabama • 6 isolated teeth; Claiborne Group; ALMNH PV1989.4.189, ALMNH PV1989.4.220, ALMNH PV1989.4.221, MSC 2376.1–2, MSC 2377. Description Upper anterior teeth have high, triangular crown. Mesial cutting edge elongate, slightly convex, bearing four large serrae basally but otherwise smooth; basal serrae decrease in size towards crown foot. Upper half of the distal edge smooth, vertical, whereas basal half bears five large serrae decreasing in size towards the crown foot. Mesial edge and upper half of the distal edge form conspicuous cusp that is slightly distally inclined. Root has a large lingual boss bisected by a nutritive groove. Upper lateral teeth have broad-based crown bearing distally curving cusp. Mesial cutting edge very convex, smooth except for one-or-two medially located serrae. Apical one-third of distal edge smooth, forms distally inclined cusp along with mesial edge. Lower two-thirds of distal edge formed into heavily serrated oblique heel; five-to-eight serrae present that decrease in size basally. Root bilobate; very short and highly diverging lobes separated by V-shaped interlobe area; wide, shallow lingual nutritive groove. Remarks Woodward (1889: 451) originally reported a tooth collected from Eocene deposits in Clarke County, AL as Hemipristis serra Agassiz, 1843, noting, however, that the specimen was “doubtfully of this species.” This specimen was later reexamined by White (1956) and referred to a new species, Hemipristis wyattdurhami, a taxon that Cappetta (1987) later designated as a junior synonym of H. curvatus Dames, 1883. Teeth of H. serra attain much larger sizes than those of H. curvatus, and the mesial cutting edge on the upper teeth and lower lateral teeth of H. serra bear more denticles than do teeth of H. curvatus. In contrast, the mesial edge on H. curvatus teeth in these jaw positions are smooth or with few very weak denticles. H. serra is also widely regarded as a Neogene taxon (see Cappetta 2012). Stratigraphic and geographic range in Alabama The specimens in our sample were collected from the Gosport Sand at site ACh-21. Middle Bartonian, Zone NP17., Published as part of Ebersole, Jun A., Cicimurri, David J. & Stringer, Gary L., 2019, Taxonomy and biostratigraphy of the elasmobranchs and bony fishes (Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes) of the lower-to-middle Eocene (Ypresian to Bartonian) Claiborne Group in Alabama, USA, including an analysis of otoliths, pp. 1-274 in European Journal of Taxonomy 585 on pages 66-67, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2019.585, http://zenodo.org/record/3660259, {"references":["Dames W. 1883. Uber eine tertiare Wirbeltierfauna von der westllichen Insel des Birket el Qurun im Fajum (Aegyptem). Sitzungsberichte der koniglich - preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin 129 - 153.","White E. I. 1956. The Eocene fishes of Alabama. Bulletins of American Paleontology 36 (156): 123 - 150.","Woodward A. S. 1889. Catalogue of the Fossil Fishes in the British Museum. Part. I. British Museum (Natural History), London. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 61854","Thurmond J. T. & Jones D. E. 1981. Fossil Vertebrates of Alabama. University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa.","Cappetta H. 1987. Chondrichthyes II. Mesozoic and Cenozoic Elasmobranchii. Handbook of Palaeoichthyology. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart.","Cappetta H. 2012. Chondrichthyes (Mesozoic and Cenozoic Elasmobranchii, Teeth). Handbook of Palaeoichthyology. Verlag Friedrich Pfeil, Munchen."]}

Genus Hemipristis Agassiz, 1843 Type species Hemipristis serra Agassiz, 1843, Miocene, Germany., Published as part of Ebersole, Jun A., Cicimurri, David J. & Stringer, Gary L., 2019, Taxonomy and biostratigraphy of the elasmobranchs and bony fishes (Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes) of the lower-to-middle Eocene (Ypresian to Bartonian) Claiborne Group in Alabama, USA, including an analysis of otoliths, pp. 1-274 in European Journal of Taxonomy 585 on page 66, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2019.585, http://zenodo.org/record/3660259

A survey on the cestode fauna of Paragaleus randalli Compagno, Krupp & Carpenter in the Persian Gulf resulted in the discovery of a new trypanorhynch species of the family Otobothriidae Dollfus, 1942, the second otobothrioid species hosted by the family Hemigaleidae Hasse. The new species exhibits the closest morphological similarity to Pristiorhynchus palmi Schaeffner & Beveridge, 2013, the type- and only species of its genus. However, the new species differs from P. palmi in the position of the bothrial pits, the morphology and oncotaxy of the basal armature, the commencement of the hook files on the internal surface, a wider scolex peduncle in the pars bulbosa than in the pars vaginalis, a long neck and the presence of a lateral bothrial groove connecting the two bothrial pits to each other. The latter character is a unique trait within the Otobothrioidea Dollfus, 1942. Considering such differences, a new genus, Olgaella n. g., was erected to accommodate O. elenae n. g., n. sp. within the Otobothriidae. The evolutionary relatedness of the bothrial pits of the Otobothrioidea and the bothrial grooves of the Lacistorhynchoidea Guiart, 1927 is discussed.

The anatomy of the feeding apparatus of the snaggletooth shark, Hemipristis elongata (Klunzinger, 1871) is illustrated in detail from the dissection of three heads. Two new muscles are described: the Adductor mandibularis internus and the Levator mandibularis. A subdivision of the Levator palatoquadrati is described and named the Pronator subdivision of the Levator palatoquadrati. Also, eight new anatomical features associated with the mandibular arch and with the chondrocranium (CR) are described. Three are cartilages: the suprapalatine cartilages, the craniopalatoquadrate cartilage and the calcified Meckelian dental fold. The remaining five features are processes: the Pronator process of the palatoquadrate (PQ), the Levator palatoquadrati alpha process, the proquadrate process, the ectorbital process (ECP) and the Meckelian Intermandibularis ridge. Some of them are not restricted to H.elongata. The function of these new muscles and anatomical features is discussed and a hypothesis about the functional morphology of the feeding apparatus of the snaggletooth shark is proposed. The extent and the assumptive importance of the pronation of the mandibular arch in the snaggletooth shark feeding behaviour is described and discussed. An alternative for the main function of the Levator palatoquadrati as hypothesized by Motta et al. (1997) and Wilga et al. (2001) is proposed for the families Hemigaleidae, Carcharhinidae and Sphyrnidae. We anticipate this muscle is more involved in the pronation rather than in the protrusion of the mandibular arch.

Hemipristis elongata (Klunzinger) (Figs. 4D, 15 A���D) One specimen (SL-78) of Hemipristis elongata was collected from the deep-sea longline fishery in Mutur, Trincomalee Harbor in the Eastern Province. That specimen was morphologically consistent with H. elongata. It clustered most closely with our reference specimen (KA-22; JQ519069) of this species collected from Indonesian, Borneo in the tree resulting from the Neighbor-Joining analysis, and differed from the latter specimen by only a single bp. This specimen has been deposited in the BRT Ichthyology Collection (BRT-I 0018). This is the name currently applied to this species in Sri Lanka (e.g., De Silva 1984 ���1985, 2006, 2015; De Bruin et al. 1995; Mor��n et al. 1998; Joseph 1999)., Published as part of Fernando, Daniel, Bown, Rosalind M. K., Tanna, Akshay, Gobiraj, Ramajeyam, Ralicki, Hannah, Jockusch, Elizabeth L., Ebert, David A., Jensen, Kirsten & Caira, Janine N., 2019, New insights into the identities of the elasmobranch fauna of Sri Lanka, pp. 201-238 in Zootaxa 4585 (2) on pages 224-225, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4585.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/2637236, {"references":["De Silva, R. I. (1984 - 1985) The sharks of Sri Lanka. A key to the different species and a preliminary checklist. Ceylon Journal of Science (Biological Sciences), 17 - 18, 56 - 66.","De Bruin, G. H. P., Russell, B. C. & Bogusch, A. (1995) FAO Species Identification Field Guide for Fisheries Purposes. The Marine Fishery Resources of Sri Lanka. FAO, Rome, Italy, 400 pp.","Moron, J., Bertrand, B. & Last, P. (1998) A check-list of sharks and rays of western Sri Lanka. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India, 40, 142 - 157.","Joseph, L. (1999) Management of shark fisheries in Sri Lanka. In: Shotton, R. (Ed.), Case Studies of the Management of Elasmobranch Fisheries. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. No. 3780, Rome, Italy, pp. 339 - 366."]}

Identities of elasmobranchs from Sri Lanka encountered during collections conducted in an intensive nine-day survey of fish markets and landing sites at 11 localities in the North Western, Northern, and Eastern Provinces in March of 2018 were assessed. In total, 111 specimens representing 34 elasmobranch species were examined. Sequence data for the NADH2 gene were generated for all specimens. Independent Neighbor-Joining analyses, which included data for related taxa, were conducted for 25 subgroups of elasmobranchs to help confirm specific identifications. Five of the 34 species encountered are likely new to science. These consist of one species each of the batoid genera Brevitrygon, Narcine, and Torpedo, and the selachian genera Centrophorus, and Chiloscyllium. The specific identities of 12 species previously known to occur in Sri Lanka are updated to conform to current taxonomy; four of these (Gymnura cf. poecilura 2, Carcharhinus cf. limbatus, Echinorhinus sp. 1, and Iago cf. omanensis 1) represent what appear to be undescribed species reported previously from other localities. Three species (Maculabatis arabica, Acroteriobatus variegatus, and Centroscymnus owstonii) are reported from Sri Lanka for the first time; the latter species also represents the first documented record of this genus and family for the island nation. One of the two specimens on which the recent description of the new species of Planonasus indicus was based was also collected as part of this survey. Although some of the species confirmed to occur in Sri Lanka have also been found in India, others were previously known only from the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, or localities in Southeast Asia. The high amount of novelty discovered as a result of a survey of such short duration emphasizes the importance of more intensive survey efforts in this region now that the civil unrest that precluded such work for nearly three decades has come to an end.

Sharks constitute a vital sector of marine and estuarine nekton and are of great commercial importance all over the world. International concern over the fate of shark fisheries has grown recently. However, information concerning the species diversity, geographic distribution and life histories of sharks in the Indo-Pacific region is highly limited. Comprehensive research on the species composition, distribution and seasonal occurrence of sharks in the southern South China Sea (SSCS) was conducted for four years. A total of 4742 sharks belonging to 10 families and 28 species were recorded from 6 fishing ports in SSCS. The families recorded included Squalidae, Heterodontidae, Orectolobidae, Hemiscylliidae, Alopiidae, Scyliorhinidae, Triakidae, Hemigaleidae, Carcharhinidae and Sphyrnidae. Seventeen of 28 shark species were landed at various developmental stages from in the ranges of or even less than the length at birth and from newborn juveniles to fully-mature. The results suggest that these sharks were born just before fishing and landing, and reproductive-stage sharks were also fished and landed. In total, 15 species, four species and one species in 28 shark species were categorized as Near Threatened, Vulnerable and Endangered species, respectively, on the IUCN Red List. Sharks are not targeted by fisheries practices in the SSCS, but are caught as bycatch throughout the year in various developmental stages. Thus, current fisheries practices in the SSCS area might lead to further decline to critical levels and lead to extinction of some of species in the future. These results suggest that the need for gear selectivity of the commercial fishing gears in order to reduce mortality and to conserve shark stocks.

HEMIGALEIDAE Hemigaleus microstoma Bleeker 1852 Red Sea: (Bonfil & Abdallah 2004). Gulf of Suez: Gulf of Aqaba: Red Sea main basin: General distribution: Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: India east to southern Japan, Philippines and New Guinea. Hemipristis elongata (Klunzinger 1871) Gulf of Suez: ¯ Gulf of Aqaba: Egypt (Baranes & Ben-Tuvia 1979). Red Sea main basin: Egypt (Klunzinger 1871, as Dirrhizodon elongatus), Saudi Arabia (Spaet & Berumen 2015). General distribution: Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: East Africa east to Philippines.

The current checklist provides for each species of the Red Sea its records in the Gulf of Suez, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea main basin and its general distribution.This new checklist of Red Sea fishes enumerates 1207 species, representing 164 families. Of these, 797 species were recorded from the Gulf of Aqaba and 339 from the Gulf of Suez. The number of species from the Gulf of Suez is evidently lower than the actual number not including 27 Lessepsian (Red Sea) migrants to the Mediterranean that most likely occur in the Gulf. The current list includes 73 species that were newly described for science since the last checklist of 2010. The most specious Osteichthyes families are: Gobiidae (134 species), Labridae (66), Apogonidae (59), Serranidae (including Anthiadinae) (44), Blenniidae (42), Carangidae (38), Muraenidae (36), Pomacentridae (35), Syngnathidae (34), Scorpaenidae (24) and Lutjanidae (23). Among the families of Chondrichthyes, the most specious families are the Carcharhinidae (18 species) and Dasyatidae (11). The total number of endemic species in the Red Sea is 174 species, of these, 34 species are endemic to the Gulf of Aqaba and 8 to the Gulf of Suez.

Shark jaws exhibit teeth that are arranged into distinct series and files and display great diversities in shapes and structures, which not only is related to their function (grasping, cutting, crushing) during feeding, but also bear a strong phylogenetic signal. So far, most research on the relationship between shark teeth and feeding ecology and systematics focused on the external tooth morphology only. Although the tooth histology of sharks has been examined since the early 19th century, its functional and systematic implications are still ambiguous. Shark teeth normally consist of either a porous, cellular dentine, osteodentine (in lamniform sharks and some batoids) or a dense layer of orthodentine (known from different sharks). Sharks of the order Carcharhiniformes, comprising ca. 60% of all extant shark species, are known to have orthodont teeth, with a single exception-the snaggletooth shark, Hemipristis elongata. High resolution micro-CT images of jaws and teeth from selected carcharhiniform sharks (including extant and fossil snaggletooth sharks) and tooth sections of teeth of Hemipristis, other carcharhiniform and lamniform sharks, have revealed that (1) Hemipristis is indeed the only carcharhiniform shark filling its pulp cavity with osteodentine in addition to orthodentine, (2) the tooth histology of Hemipristis elongata differs from the osteodont histotype, which evolved in lamniform sharks and conversely represents a modified orthodonty, and (3) this modified orthodonty was already present in extinct Hemipristis species but the mineralization sequence has changed over time. Our results clearly show the presence of a third tooth histotype-the pseudoosteodont histotype, which is present in Hemipristis. The unique tooth histology of lamniform sharks might provide a phylogenetic signal for this group, but more research is necessary to understand the phylogenetic importance of tooth histology in sharks in general.

An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyan fishes (sharks, rays, and chimaeras) of Papua New Guinean waters is herein presented. The checklist is the result of a large biodiversity study on the chondrichthyan fauna of Papua New Guinea between 2013 and 2017. The chondrichthyan fauna of Papua New Guinea has historically been very poorly known due to a lack of baseline information and limited deepwater exploration. A total of 131 species, comprising 36 families and 68 genera, were recorded. The most speciose families are the Carcharhinidae with 29 species and the Dasyatidae with 23 species. Verified voucher material from various biological collections around the world are provided, with a total of 687 lots recorded comprising 574 whole specimens, 128 sets of jaws and 21 sawfish rostra. This represents the first detailed, verified checklist of chondrichthyans from Papua New Guinean waters.

Hemigaleus australiensis White, Last & Compagno, 2005 Sicklefin Weasel Shark Hemigaleus australiensis White, Last & Compagno, 2005: 40, Fig. 1. Holotype: CSIRO H 5949-01. Type locality: northwest of Geraldton, Western Australia. Local synonymy: Negogaleus microstoma - Filewood, 1973: 3 (PNG). Hemigaleus microstoma— Kailola, 1987: 20 (western Papua; Gulf of Papua; Orangerie Bay; New Britain?); White et al., 2018: 122, figs (PNG). PNG voucher material: (26 spec.) CSIRO H 7810-03, female 310 mm TL, south of Kerema, Gulf of Papua, 8°2’55.8” S, 145°44’57” E, 14–16 m depth, 19 Jun. 2014; CSIRO H 7819-01, female 420 mm TL, south of Kerema, Gulf of Papua, 8°03’ S, 145°46’ E, 18–22 m depth, 30 Nov. 2014; CSIRO H 7832-01, female 480 mm TL, south of Deception Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°8’20” S, 144°24’53” E, 17–20 m depth, 11 Dec. 2014; CSIRO H 7834- 0 2, female 500 mm TL, south of Deception Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°1’54” S, 144°39’13” E, 22–25 m depth, 15 Dec. 2014; CSIRO H 8003-01, female 380 mm TL, Freshwater Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°9’15.54” S, 146°02’49.1” E, 12– 14 m depth, 24 Aug. 2015; CSIRO H 8017-01, female 290 mm TL, Freshwater Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°6’1.56” S, 145°50’16.02” E, 13–16 m depth, 30 Aug. 2015; CSIRO H 8019-01, female 310 mm TL, south of Kerema, Gulf of Papua, 8°2’49.5” S, 145°43’41.34” E, 17–19 m depth, 31 Aug. 2015; CSIRO H 8165-01 (dried jaws), female 500 mm TL, south of Deception Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°2’8” S, 144°38’33” E, 22 m depth, 14 Dec. 2014; CSIRO H 8168-01 (dried jaws and chondrocranium), adult male 720 mm TL, south of Deception Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°0’ S, 144°27’ E, 19–21 m depth, 9 Dec. 2014; CSIRO H 8158-01 (dried jaws), juvenile female 580 mm TL, south of Kerema, Gulf of Papua, 8°5’50” S, 145°39’11” E, 16–17 m depth, 22 Nov. 2014; CSIRO H 8162-01 (dried jaws), adult male 650 mm TL, south of Kerema, Gulf of Papua, 8°4’26” S, 145°40’55” E, 17–20 m depth, 7 Sep. 2015; KFRS E.041 (dried jaws), Kairuku, Central Province, late Oct. 1964; KFRS E.223A and E.223B (dried jaws), Gulf of Papua, Feb. 1966; KFRS E.304 (dried jaws), Orangerie Bay, Jun. 1967; KFRS E.600, juvenile male 270 mm TL, Freshwater Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°9’31.62” S, 146°1’38.04” E, 16 m depth, 24 Aug. 2015; KFRS E.626, female 360 mm TL, KFRS E.627, female 310 mm TL, Freshwater Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°6’1.56” S, 145°50’16.02” E, 13– 16 m depth, 30 Aug. 2015; KFRS E.631, female 470 mm TL, Freshwater Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°8’6.66” S, 145°59’23.58” E, 14–19 m depth, 24 Aug. 2015; KFRS E.667, female 460 mm TL, Freshwater Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°8’ S, 146°1’ E, 14–15 m depth, 29 Nov. 2014; KFRS E.672, male 560 mm TL, Freshwater Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°8’19.2” S, 145°57’4.2” E, 14–18 m depth, 14 Jun. 2014; KFRS E.674, male 560 mm TL, south of Deception Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°9’5” S, 144°26’53” E, 22–24 m depth, 9 Dec. 2014; KFRS E.743, adult male 740 mm TL, south of Deception Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°8’ S, 144°27’ E, 17–18 m depth, 9 Dec. 2014; KFRS E.755, female 300 mm TL, south of Deception Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°2’16” S, 144°38’26” E, 22–23 m depth, 15 Dec. 2014; KFRS E.756, female 290 mm TL, south of Deception Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°4’23” S, 144°38’55” E, 22–31 m depth, 14 Dec. 2014; KFRS E.767, male 520 mm TL, south of Deception Bay, Gulf of Papua, 8°8’14” S, 144°29’13” E, 21– 22 m depth, 14 Dec. 2014. Remarks: Once considered to be conspecific with Hemigaleus microstoma Bleeker, 1852 which occurs in the Western Central Pacific. White et al. (2005) noted that its presence in PNG needs validating. Restricted to northern Australia and PNG; possibly restricted to the southern coast from Western Province through to Orangerie Bay., Published as part of White, William T. & Ko'Ou, Alfred, 2018, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of Papua New Guinea, pp. 1-82 in Zootaxa 4411 (1) on pages 29-30, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4411.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1221878, {"references":["Filewood, L. W. C. (1973) Guide to elasmobranch key, with notes on collection of data. Internal Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries report, Port Moresby, 18 pp.","Kailola, P. J. (1987) The fishes of Papua New Guinea. A revised and annotated checklist. Volume One: Myxinidae to Synbranchidae. Research Bulletin No. 41. Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Port Moresby, 194 pp.","Finucci, B., White, W. T., Kemper, J. & Naylor, G. J. P. (2018) Redescription of Chimaera ogilbyi (Chimaeriformes; Chimaeridae) from the Indo-Australian region. Zootaxa, 4375, 191 - 210. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4375.2.2","Bleeker, P. (1852) Bijdrage tot de kennis der Plagiostomen van den Indischen Archipel. Verhandelingen van het Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen, 24, 1 - 92."]}

Genus Hemipristis Agassiz, 1843 Snaggletooth Shark Hemipristis Agassiz, 1843: 237, 302. Type species: Hemipristis serra Agassiz, 1843, by subsequent designation; based on a fossil type species., Published as part of White, William T. & Ko'Ou, Alfred, 2018, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of Papua New Guinea, pp. 1-82 in Zootaxa 4411 (1) on page 30, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4411.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1221878, {"references":["Agassiz, L. (1843) Recherches sur les Poissons Fossiles. Volume 3. Petitpierre, Neuchatel, 390 pp. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 4275"]}

Genus Hemigaleus Bleeker, 1852 Weasel Sharks Hemigaleus Bleeker, 1852: 45. Type species: Hemigaleus macrostoma Bleeker, 1852, by subsequent designation., Published as part of White, William T. & Ko'Ou, Alfred, 2018, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of Papua New Guinea, pp. 1-82 in Zootaxa 4411 (1) on page 29, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4411.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1221878, {"references":["Bleeker, P. (1852) Bijdrage tot de kennis der Plagiostomen van den Indischen Archipel. Verhandelingen van het Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen, 24, 1 - 92."]}

Hemipristis elongata (Klunzinger, 1871) Snaggletooth Shark Dirrhizodon elongatus Klunzinger, 1871: 665. Holotype: SMNS 1640 (dry); probably lost. Type locality: Al-Qusair, Egypt, Red Sea. Local synonymy: Hemipristis elongatus— Filewood, 1973: 3 (PNG); Kailola, 1987: 20 (Yule Island); Hemipristis elongata— White et al., 2018: 124, figs (PNG). PNG voucher material: (1 spec.) KFRS E.005 (dried jaws), Hall Sound, Central Province, Oct. 1963. Remarks: First recorded in PNG by Filewood (1973), presumably based on KFRS E.005. One specimen observed in a prawn trawl vessel freezer in Western Province and two dried fins confirmed as this species photographed from Milne Bay Province during recent surveys., Published as part of White, William T. & Ko'Ou, Alfred, 2018, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of Papua New Guinea, pp. 1-82 in Zootaxa 4411 (1) on page 30, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4411.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1221878, {"references":["Klunzinger, C. B. (1871) Synopsis der Fische des Rothen Meeres. II. Theil. Verhandlungen der K. - K. zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien, 21, 441 - 688. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 14760","Filewood, L. W. C. (1973) Guide to elasmobranch key, with notes on collection of data. Internal Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries report, Port Moresby, 18 pp.","Kailola, P. J. (1987) The fishes of Papua New Guinea. A revised and annotated checklist. Volume One: Myxinidae to Synbranchidae. Research Bulletin No. 41. Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Port Moresby, 194 pp.","Finucci, B., White, W. T., Kemper, J. & Naylor, G. J. P. (2018) Redescription of Chimaera ogilbyi (Chimaeriformes; Chimaeridae) from the Indo-Australian region. Zootaxa, 4375, 191 - 210. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4375.2.2"]}

Family Hemigaleidae Hasse, 1879 Weasel Sharks, Published as part of White, William T. & Ko'Ou, Alfred, 2018, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of Papua New Guinea, pp. 1-82 in Zootaxa 4411 (1) on page 29, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4411.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1221878, {"references":["Hasse, J. C. F. (1879) Das naturliche System der Elasmobranchier auf Grundlage des Baues und der Entwicklung ihrer Wirbelsaule. Eine morphologische und palaontologische Studie. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena, 76 pp. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 8431"]}

In consideration of literature, it is concluded that it is necessary to restore the validity of Paragaleus longicaudatus (Bessednov, 1966) and of its synonymy with P. randalli Compagno et al., 1996.

The Hemigaleidae is a small family of carcharhiniform sharks that are distinguished by the possession of a highly specialized dentition, with very pronounced dignathic heterodonty. The ma jority of records of the Hemigaleidae in the fossil record refer to the relatively large and distinctive teeth of Hemipristis Agas siz, 1843, with fossils of other genera being far less frequently recorded, and unknown prior to the Neogene.

Henderson, Aaron C., Reeve, Alan J., Jabado, Rima W., Naylor, Gavin J. P. (2016): Taxonomic assessment of sharks, rays and guitarfishes (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii) from south-eastern Arabia, using the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (NADH2) gene. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 176 (2): 399-442, DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12309, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/zoj.12309

Laan, Richard Van Der, Eschmeyer, William N., Fricke, Ronald (2014): Family-group names of Recent fishes. Zootaxa 3882 (2): 1-230, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1

In this study, we first present the complete mitochondrial genome of Hemipristis elongata, the only member of genus Hemipristis in family Hemigaleidae. It is 16,691 bp in length with the typical gene order invertebrates. Its overall base composition is 31.7% A, 24.1% C, 12.9% G and 31.3% T. Two start codons (ATG and GTG) and three stop codons (TAG, AGA and TAA/T) are found in the protein-coding genes. The 22 tRNA genes ranged from 67 bp (tRNA-Cys, tRNA-Ser2) to 75 bp (tRNA-Leu1). The phylogenetic result showed that H. elongata was clustered to Hemigaleus microstoma and formed Hemigaleidae.

Ebert, David A., White, William T., Ho, Hsuan-Ching, Last, Peter R., Nakaya, Kazuhiro, Séret, Bernard, Straube, Nicolas, Naylor, Gavin J. P., De Carvalho, Marcelo R. (2013): An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of Taiwan. Zootaxa 3752 (1): 279-386, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3752.1.17

Paraorygmatobothrium taylori n. sp. (Tetraphyllidea: Phyllobothriidae) is described from the Australian weasel shark Hemigaleus australiensis White, Last & Compagno in Moreton Bay, off Queensland, Australia. The new species differs from 10 of the 11 described species of Paraorygmatobothrium Ruhnke, 1994 by the possession of prominent, semicircular bothridial muscle bands. From P. barberi Ruhnke, 1994, with which it shares the bothridial muscle bands, it differs in the possession of a cephalic peduncle and vitelline follicles that extend almost to the mid-line of the proglottis and are reduced, rather than completely interrupted, at the level of the ovary. P. janineae Ruhnke, Healy & Shapero, 2006 is recorded from its type-host but in a new locality, Moreton Bay, off Queensland, Australia. P. taylori is the third species of the genus recorded from the Hemigaleidae in Australian waters. Three of the eight known hemigaleid species are now recorded to harbour this genus, and three different species are now known from the two hemigaleids found in Australian waters.

Two new species of Paraorygmatobothrium Ruhnke, 1994, P. janineae n. sp. and P. kirstenae n. sp., are described from the spiral intestine of 2 shark species of the Family Hemigaleidae: Hemigaleus microstoma and Hemipristis elongata. The 2 new cestode species differ from other members of Paraorygmatobothrium in vitelline follicle distribution and possession of a cephalic peduncle. The 2 new species differ from 1 another in total length, maximum width, scolex size, number of proglottids per strobila, and number of testes per proglottid. The generic diagnosis of Paraorygmatobothrium is emended to include the new species. The results of this study extend the distribution of Paraorygmatobothrium to include the carcharhinid shark family Hemigaleidae.

[[Hemigaleus]] Key to the species of Hemigaleus 1 Second dorsal fin light brown with a dark tip; no white blotches present on body; total vertebrae counts 112-121........................................................ Hemigaleus australiensis 2 Second dorsal fin mostly dark with a conspicuous white tip; small, white blotches usually present on body; total vertebrae 137-164......................... Hemigaleus microstoma

Hemigaleus australiensis new species Figs. 1a, b Hemigaleus microstoma: Last and Stevens, 1994: 218-219. (Plate 28, Figure 28.1); Sainsbury, Kailola and Leyland, 1985: 36, fig. Hemigaleus sp. aff. ���microstoma���: Compagno, 1998: 1307. Hemigaleus sp. A: Compagno, Dando and Fowler, 2005: 285. (Plate 49). Holotype. CSIRO H 5949-01, adult male, 919 mm TL, 41 m depth, northwest of Geraldton, Western Australia (28��22��� S, 113��49��� E), 2002. Paratypes. CSIRO H 5949-02, adult male, 1039 mm TL, same collection data as holotype; CSIRO CA 2502, female, 478 mm TL, 120 m depth, northwest of Eighty Mile Beach, Western Australia (18��09��� S, 120��02��� E), 1980; CSIRO CA 2503, female, 581 mm TL, 68 m depth, north of Port Walcott, Western Australia (19��44��� S, 117��17��� E), 1980; CSIRO H 1482-04, adult female, 876 mm TL, 30 m depth, North West Shelf, Western Australia (20��31��� S, 116��05��� E), 1988; CSIRO H 6200-01, female, 679 mm TL, 42 m depth, northwest of Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia (20��17��� S, 116��19��� E), 1982; CSIRO CA 2504, preserved jaws only, adult female, 918 mm TL, 40 m depth, northwest of Port Hedland, Western Australia (19��38��� S, 118��27��� E), 1980; CSIRO CA 2505, preserved jaws only, adult female, 972 mm TL, 34 m depth, east of Bedout Island, Western Australia (19��38��� S, 119��31��� E), 1980; CSIRO CA 2506, preserved jaws only, adult male, 940 mm TL, 160 m depth, west of Roebuck Bay, Western Australia (18��08��� S, 119��22��� E), 1980; CSIRO CA 2507, preserved jaws only, adult male, 872 mm TL, 31 m depth, north of Eighty Mile Beach, Western Australia (19��29��� S, 120��23��� E), 1980; CSIRO CA 2508, preserved jaws only, adult male, 566 mm TL, 130 m depth, north of Bedout Island, Western Australia (18��29��� S, 119��20��� E), 1980; CSIRO CA 2509, preserved jaws only, adult male, 891 mm TL, 40 m depth, east of Bedout Island, Western Australia (19��38��� S, 118��29��� E), 1980. Other material not part of the type series. CSIRO H 2689-01, immature male, 599 mm TL, 50 m depth, northeast of Brunswick Heads, New South Wales (28��19��� S, 153��39��� E), 1990; CSIRO H 2376-09, immature male, 398 mm TL, CSIRO H 2376-10, immature male, 327 mm TL, off Cairns, Queensland, 1989; CSIRO H 3302-01, female, 349 mm TL, 24 m depth, east of Shelburne Bay, Queensland (11��49��� S, 143��08��� E), 1993; CSIRO H 4764-01, male embryo, 262 mm TL, 35 m depth, northwest of Port Hedland, Western Australia (19��43��� S, 118��22��� E), 1989; QM I 14577, 2 specimens, 2 immature males, 376 and 435 mm TL, Mud Island, Moreton Bay; QM I 27977, immature male, 366 mm TL, Gulf of Carpentaria, 18��30���S, 137��41.6���. Diagnosis. A medium sized hemigaleid shark with the following combination of characters: moderately long head; dorsal fins slightly raked back, moderately or not falcate, moderately low; height of first dorsal fin 2.6-3 in head length; length of first dorsal fin 2.1-2.4 times its height; caudal-fin upper lobe moderately broad, not elongate; caudalfin ventral lobe short, preventral margin 9.3-9.8% TL; pectoral fins broad, falcate, base length 2.1-2.4 in preventral caudal margin; claspers of adults moderately short, inner length 5.4-5.6% TL, 1.8-1.8 in pelvic midpoint to first dorsal-fin insertion; teeth in 28-30/ 46-52 rows; precaudal vertebral centra 65-70, total vertebral centra 112-121; second dorsal fin with a conspicuous dark tip; first dorsal fin with a pale posterior margin. Description. Proportions as percentages of total length for the holotype and the 5 whole paratypes are presented in Table 1. Body elongate, trunk weakly compressed, oval in cross-section at first dorsal-fin base; length of trunk from fifth gill openings to vent 1.38 (1.27-1.48) times head length; second dorsal-fin origin to anal-fin origin 3.28 (2.18-3.80) in second dorsal-fin origin to pelvicfin midpoint; anal-caudal space 6.84 (7.05-7.60) in preanal length; predorsal ridge absent; definite interdorsal ridge, extending just over half distance from first dorsal fin to second dorsal fin; postdorsal ridge absent; lateral line distinct with a pronounced dip under second dorsal-fin origin, forming a weak ridge laterally. Caudal peduncle slender, cylindrical, tapering; without lateral keels; height 1.20 (1.04-1.36) in width at upper caudal-fin origin, 3.93 (3.68-4.69) in dorsal-caudal space. Precaudal pits present and crescentic. Head moderately long, length 0.85 (0.80-0.92) in pectoral-pelvic space; relatively narrow, moderately depressed, roughly trapezoidal in cross-section at eyes; outline of prespiracular head in lateral view nearly straight dorsally, becoming convex above gills; post-oral head slightly convex; broadly parabolic in dorsoventral view; preoral snout moderate, 1.28 (1.19-1.34) in mouth width. Snout relatively thick, bluntly rounded in lateral view, convex above and below; tip broadly rounded in dorsoventral view, with very shallow indentations anterior to nostrils. Eyes large and oval in shape, eye length 8.40 (6.54-9.60) in head length; slightly dorsolateral on head; lower edges in line with lateral margin of head in dorsal view; subocular ridges strong; external opening with prominent posterior notch, no anterior notch; nictitating lower eyelids external; subocular pouches narrow but deep, entirely scaled with secondary lower eyelids. Spiracles minute, their length much shorter than eye to spiracle distance, located dorsally to median level of eye. First four gill slits subequal in length, much longer than fifth, height of fifth 0.68 (0.62-0.86) of first; height of first 7.01 (6.79-9.32) in head and 1.20 (0.70-1.31) of eye length. Anterior margin of gill slits undulate or slightly convex; not elevated on dorsolateral surface of head, upper margin slightly above lower edges of eyes; gill filaments not visible from outside. Nostrils with large oval incurrent apertures lacking posterolateral keels; well in front of mouth; width 2.17 (2.16-2.32) in internarial space, 1.34 (1.21-1.72) in eye length, and 1.61 (1.20-1.81) in first gill-slit opening; excurrent apertures small, oval. Anterior nasal flaps subtriangular and moderately long, prominent mesonarial flaps, and small posterior nasal flaps. Anterior nasal aperture broadly rounded anteriorly, forming a gradual depression. Mouth crescent-shaped and short; width 3.76 (3.45-3.74) in head length; length 2.35 (2.26-3.04) in width; tongue large, flat, broadly rounded, filling floor of mouth; buccal papillae absent; labial furrows moderately long, upper 1.69 (1.62-2.22) times lower furrows; anterior ends of uppers extending ahead of posterior corners of eyes. Upper anterolateral teeth compressed with high crowns, broad roots, an oblique cusp, 7-10 small cusplets; primary cusps very short, only slightly larger than distal cusplets; Lower anterolateral teeth considerably smaller than upper teeth; cusps short, slender, straight, erect, with their edges sloping gradually into the edges of crown feet no cusplets; not protruding from mouth; no apparent sexual heterodonty. Tooth row groups present include medials, symphysials, anterolaterals, and posteriors in both jaws; no toothless spaces at symphysis; lower jaw with ventral edge hardly visible in lateral view; in 28-30/ 46-52 rows (from 6 paratypes based on jaws); dental formula, mean 13.2 (range 12-14) + 3.8 (3-6) + 13.5 (12-15) in upper jaw, 48.2 (46-52) in lower jaw. Lateral trunk denticles below first dorsal fin small, closely imbricated; broad and multicuspidate with about five longitudinal ridges extending entire length of crown; crown length about equal to its width. Denticles absent near insertion of the pectoral and pelvic fins. First dorsal fin moderately tall, not falcate; anterior margin convex, angular apically; posterior margin broadly concave; free rear tip acutely pointed; inner margin nearly straight; fin origin slightly posterior to free rear tips of pectoral fins; midpoint of base 1.10-1.20 times closer to pectoral-fin insertions than pelvic-fin origins; insertion well anterior to pelvic-fin origins; posterior margin upright or slanting slightly posteroventrally from apex; insertion almost above level of fin apex; first dorsal-fin base 1.66 (1.65-1.84) in interdorsal space, 1.44 (1.36-2.11) in dorsal caudal-fin margin; fin height 1.94 (1.56- 1.86) in base length; inner margin 2.20 (1.69-2.24) in height, 4.26 (2.64-4.17) in base length. Second dorsal fin moderately tall, apically narrow, moderately falcate; much smaller than first dorsal fin, height 0.66 (0.61-0.0.70) of first dorsal-fin height, base length 0.65 (0.68-0.79) of first dorsal-fin base length; anterior margin weakly convex; apex narrowly rounded; posterior margin deeply concave; inner margin straight or slightly concave; free rear tip acutely pointed, terminating slightly anterior to anal-fin free rear tip and well in front of upper caudal-fin origin; origin separated from pelvic-fin insertions by a space about 1.58 (1.49-1.65) times pelvic-fin base; posterior margin extending slightly anteroventrally from apex; insertion about in level with fin apex; second dorsal-fin base length 1.24 (1.18-1.30) in dorsal-caudal space; fin height 1.89 (1.87-2.04) in base length; inner margin 1.75 (1.46-2.18) in height, 3.30 (2.83-4.36) in base length. Anal fin low, apically narrow, semifalcate, smaller than second dorsal fin; height 0.68 (0.65-0.68) in second dorsal-fin height, base length 0.71 (0.68-0.83) times second dorsalfin base length; anterior margin weakly convex; apex narrowly rounded; posterior margin deeply notched, slanting anterodorsally from apex; free rear tip acutely pointed, well in front of lower caudal-fin origin; inner margin nearly straight; preanal ridges indistinct; origin slightly behind second dorsal-fin origin, by 0.42 (0.34-0.53) of second dorsal-fin base; insertion slightly anterior to apex, slightly behind second-dorsal fin insertion; analfin base length 1.50 (1.19-1.36) in anal-caudal space; fin height 1.96 (2.05-2.43) in base length; inner margin 1.34 (1.13-1.55) in height, 2.64 (2.61-3.17) in base length. Pectoral fins narrow and moderately falcate; anterior margins broadly convex, length 1.49 (1.46-1.60) times posterior margin; bases narrow; apices acutely pointed, posterior margins moderately concave; free rear tips broadly rounded, inner margins strongly convex; origins under fourth gill opening; about subequal in area than first dorsal fin. Apex of pectoral fin well posterior to its free rear tip when fin is elevated and appressed to body. Pelvic fins broadly subtriangular; area slightly greater than anal-fin area; anterior margins slightly convex, length 0.54 (0.51-0.58) length of pectoral-fin anterior margins; narrowly pointed apically; posterior margins broadly concave; free rear tips pointed, inner margins nearly straight to slightly concave. Claspers of adult male holotype relatively long and basally stout; slightly convex for most of outer margin length, tapering near tip; extending well behind pelvic-fin free rear tips, distance 1.1 times pelvic-fin inner margin; apex 1.2-1.3 times anal-fin base short of anal-fin origin; glans moderately long, length slightly more than half length of outer margin of clasper; blunt distally with a narrow apex; covered laterally and ventrally with small clasper denticles; dorsomedial surfaces of glans (including rhipidion) and lateral strip adjacent to clasper groove naked. Caudal fin asymmetrical, upper lobe narrow; terminal lobe moderately enlarged, ventral lobe prominent, subtriangular, weakly falcate; dorsal caudal margin moderately long, 4.10 (3.39-4.35) in precaudal length, slightly convex to nearly straight, without lateral undulations; preventral margin convex, length 2.04 (1.97-2.38) in dorsal caudal margin; tip of ventral lobe acutely pointed; lower postventral margin nearly straight to concave; upper postventral margin nearly straight to slightly convex; subterminal notch a narrow, shallow slot; subterminal margin nearly straight, terminal margin slightly to strongly concave, fin tip bluntly angular; subterminal margin 1.69 (1.32-2.15) in terminal margin; caudal tip pointed, terminal lobe length 2.84 (2.83-3.09) in dorsal caudal margin. Vertebral counts, ratios and statistics of the holotype, the 5 whole paratypes, and 4 other non-type specimens, are given in Table 2. Counts for the types are summarised as follows: total (TC) centra 113 (112-121), precaudal (PC) centra 65 (67-69), monospondylous precaudal (MP) centra 32 (32-35), diplospondylous precaudal (DP) centra 33 (34-37). Last few MP centra before MP-DP quite enlarged, not forming ���stutter zone��� of alternating long and short centra. Coloration. Light grey to greyish brown dorsally, whitish ventrally; tips of second dorsal fin and upper caudal fin dark, fading in larger specimens; posterior margin of first dorsal fin pale. Size. Attains a maximum size of about 1100 mm TL; males reach sexual maturity at ~600 mm TL and females between 600 and 650 mm TL. Young are born at ~300 mm TL. Distribution. Occurs off northern Australia from Geraldton (Western Australia) to Brunswick Heads (New South Wales). The type series was collected off northwestern Australia. Records from Papua New Guinea need to be confirmed. Habitat. Predominantly demersal on continental and insular shelves from shallow, inshore bays down to depths of 170 m. Etymology. Named in allusion to the known geographic range of this species (i.e. off tropical Australia). Common names. We propose the official English common name of ���Australian weasel shark���, in allusion to the known distribution of this species. Discussion Several intraspecific, morphometric differences were observed between juveniles and subadults, and adults in both species, resulting in relatively large ranges for some characters (see Table 1). The most notable differences were in the measurements of presecond dorsal length, snout-vent length, preanal length, interdorsal distance, pectoralpelvic distance, dorsal caudal-fin margin, and head, trunk and abdomen widths. The morphometry of Hemigaleus australiensis from eastern Australia agreed with the Western Australian types. Similarly, the vertebral counts from four of the eight non-type specimens of H. australiensis agreed with those of the type series (see Table 2). Hemigaleus australiensis is readily distinguished from H. microstoma by differences in teeth and meristics, coloration, morphometrics and size at birth and maturity (see Figs. 1a, 2). The latter species has much higher vertebral counts than H. australiensis, e.g. total vertebrae 137-164 vs 112-121, precaudal vertebrae 79-100 vs 65-70 (see Table 2). The number of tooth rows in the lower jaw of H. microstoma, i.e. 39.9 (37-43; n = 15), is much lower than those in the lower jaw of H. australiensis, i.e. 48.2 (45-52; n = 6). The sizes at maturity and birth of H. australiensis are much smaller than those of H. microstoma. Stevens and Cuthbert (1983) reported a size at maturity for females and males of Australian Hemigaleus of 600-650 and 600 mm TL, respectively, and a size at birth of 260-280 mm TL. In contrast, the size at maturity for females and males of H. microstoma from eastern Indonesia is 740-800 and>790 mm TL, respectively, and the size at birth is 470-490 mm TL (W. White, unpubl. data). Hemigaleus australiensis also differs from H. microstoma in having a dark-tipped (rather than a white-tipped second dorsal fin), a pale margin on the first dorsal fin (rather than a conspicuous white tip) and no white blotches on the sides of the body (rather than white blotches usually present)., Published as part of William T. White, Peter R. Last & Leonard J. V. Compagno, 2005, Description of a new species of weasel shark, Hemigaleus australiensis n. sp. (Carcharhiniformes: Hemigaleidae) from Australian waters., pp. 37-49 in Zootaxa 1077 on pages 40-48

[[Hemigaleus microstoma]] Comparative material of Hemigaleus microstoma utilised for this study includes: India: TRR-70-14, pregnant female, 845 mm TL, Wadge Bank, off Cape Comorin. Sri Lanka: immature male, 485 mm TL, Gulf of Manaar off Colombo. Myanmar (Burma): PMBC-6733, adult male, ca 700 mm, Andaman Sea. Thailand, Gulf of Thailand: GVF-60-361, immature female, 260 mm TL, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province; GVF-107, subadult female, 697 mm TL, Rayong Province; GVF-2429, adult male, 720 mm TL, Trat Province. Malaysia: CSIRO H 4919-05, female, 612 mm TL, Sandakan fish market, Sabah, Borneo. Singapore: LACM-F-358, immature female, 429 mm TL, (cranium dissected). Indonesia: BMNH-1867-11.28.173, female, 703 mm TL, (Syntype of Hemigaleus microstoma Bleeker, 1852), Batavia (Jakarta), Java; RMNH-7389, female, 650 mm TL, Batavia, Java (possible Syntype but uncertain according to M. van Oijen, pers. comm.); UMMZ-179017, sub-adult female, 635 mm TL, Batavia (Jakarta), Java; CSIRO H 6234-01, preserved jaws only, adult male, 741 mm TL, CSIRO H 6234-02, preserved jaws only, pregnant female, 795 mm TL, CSIRO H 6234-03, preserved jaws only, pregnant female, 827 mm TL, Muara Angke fish landing site, Jakarta. CSIRO H 5691-01, adult male, 872 mm TL, CSIRO H 6128-04, female embryo, 452 mm TL, CSIRO H 5868-08, female, 510 mm TL, CSIRO H 5867-03, female 685 mm TL, Kedonganan fish market, Bali; CSIRO H 6201-01, female, 750 mm TL, Tanjung Luar fish market, Lombok; CSIRO H 6232-01, preserved jaws only, immature female, 735 mm TL, CSIRO H 6233-01, preserved shark jaws only, adult male, 957 mm TL, Kedonganan fish market, Bali; MNHN-1061, immature female, 598 mm TL, MNHN-7781, adult male, 770 mm TL, Java (data from Prof. J.A.F. Garrick). Philippines: SUML F 1153, immature male, 545 mm TL (Cadiz City); BRU-082, immature female, 570 mm TL., Published as part of William T. White, Peter R. Last & Leonard J. V. Compagno, 2005, Description of a new species of weasel shark, Hemigaleus australiensis n. sp. (Carcharhiniformes: Hemigaleidae) from Australian waters., pp. 37-49 in Zootaxa 1077 on page 39

[[Hemigaleus]] Key to the species of Hemigaleus 1 Second dorsal fin light brown with a dark tip; no white blotches present on body; total vertebrae counts 112-121........................................................ Hemigaleus australiensis 2 Second dorsal fin mostly dark with a conspicuous white tip; small, white blotches usually present on body; total vertebrae 137-164......................... Hemigaleus microstoma, Published as part of William T. White, Peter R. Last & Leonard J. V. Compagno, 2005, Description of a new species of weasel shark, Hemigaleus australiensis n. sp. (Carcharhiniformes: Hemigaleidae) from Australian waters., pp. 37-49 in Zootaxa 1077 on page 48

[[Hemigaleus Bleeker]] The genus Hemigaleus, proposed by Bleeker (1852) for Hemigaleus microstoma from Java, presently consists of only one described species. Hemigaleus microstoma is widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific from southern India and Sri Lanka in the west, to Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia (Java), Taiwan, China and the Philippines in the east (Compagno, 1984, 1988, 1998). This species was also previously documented as occurring widely across northern Australia (Compagno, 1984), and off Papua New Guinea (Last and Stevens, 1994). Stevens and Cuthbert (1983) documented substantial differences in tooth and vertebral counts between Australian specimens and material from Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia (see also Compagno, 1988). These authors provisionally identified the Australian form as H. microstoma but stated that a revision of the genus should be undertaken in the future once specimens were collected from other areas. Similarly, Compagno (1988) treated Hemigaleus temporarily as a monotypic genus, but stated that the observed differences between the specimens could be elucidated once more specimens were examined from other regions. Last and Stevens (1994) highlighted the need for a comparison of material from across the Indo-Pacific region to explain morphological differences in Hemigaleus populations. Compagno (1999) stated that differences in coloration and meristics suggest that the Australian species may be a separate taxon and he treated the two separate forms in the key to species, i.e. Hemigaleus microstoma and H. sp. aff. ���microstoma���. Recent market surveys in eastern Indonesia produced a variety of sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras. Amongst this material were a number of individuals of Hemigaleus microstoma. These specimens have allowed a more detailed comparison between the Australian and Indonesian samples and have confirmed that the Australian Hemigaleus is a separate species from H. microstoma. This new species is described below., Published as part of William T. White, Peter R. Last & Leonard J. V. Compagno, 2005, Description of a new species of weasel shark, Hemigaleus australiensis n. sp. (Carcharhiniformes: Hemigaleidae) from Australian waters., pp. 37-49 in Zootaxa 1077 on pages 37-38

Paragaleus tengi was previously considered to be the only member of this genus occurring in the Western Pacific, with Paragaleus randalli occurring in the Indian Ocean and allopatric in distribution. Recent molecular and morphological studies showed that P. randalli also occurs in the Western Pacific with records from Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia previously mostly incorrectly attributed to P. tengi. This paper provides a redescription of P. tengi and confirms the presence of P. randalli from off Taiwan in the western North Pacific. These two species are morphologically very similar in appearance but differ in meristics, dentition, some coloration attributes and minor morphological characters. The conservation status of these two species needs to be reassessed based on this new information.

Small-scale and artisanal fisheries for sharks exist in most inshore, tropical regions of the world. Although often important in terms of food security, their low value and inherent complexity provides an imposing hurdle to sustainable management. An observer survey of a small-scale commercial gill-net fishery operating within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage area revealed at least 38 species of elasmobranch were present in the catch. Of the total elasmobranch catch, 95% was 25 species of Carcharhiniformes from the families Carcharhinidae, Hemigaleidae and Sphyrnidae. Individual species were captured in a variety of ways by the fishery, often with strongly biased sex ratios and in a variety of life stages (e.g. neonates, juveniles, adult). Despite this, the main carcharhiniform taxa captured could be qualitatively categorised into four groups based on similar catch characteristics, body size and similarities in life history: small coastal (2000 mm); and hammerheads. Such groupings can potentially be useful for simplifying management of complex multispecies fisheries. The idiosyncrasies of elasmobranch populations and how fisheries interact with them provide a challenge for management but, if properly understood, potentially offer underutilised options for designing management strategies.

The distribution, size composition, sex ratio, reproductive biology and diet of 17 species of shark from the families Triakidae, Hemigaleidae and Carcharhinidae from northern Australia were examined. In most of these species the sex ratio of the embryos is 1 : 1, whereas in the post-partum populations there were significantly more males than females. The results indicate four broad reproductive strategies among these sharks. In most species reproduction was distinctly seasonal with individual females giving birth each Austral summer (annual cycle) after a gestation period of 9-12 months. A second group had a very similar cycle except that individual females gave birth every second year (biennial cycle). A third group had an annual cycle but breeding was continuous throughout the year, these were mostly small bottom-associated sharks. One species had a seasonal cycle but gave birth twice each year (biannual cycle) after a 6-month gestation. The average size at birth varied from 27 to 75 cm and the average litter size varied from 2 to 34. The size at birth was about 40% of the size at maturity, which in turn was about 70% of the maximum size. Diets ranged from omnivorous to highly selective. Fish was an important component of the diet in all but one species. There was evidence of partitioning of food resources among sympatric, morphologically similar, sharks.

A total of 2,310 individuals of elasmobranch fishes consisting of 60 species from 13 families were recorded from survey trips in Kalimantan waters. Six fish landing sites and markets in four provinces of Kalimantan were visited from September 2005 to November 2006. Some new records, endemic and new species were gathered during the surveys. Rays of Dasyatid family were the most common elasmobranch species occurring in this area. Himantura gerrardi, H. uarnak and H. uarnacoides (Dasyatidae) were the most common rays, whereas Chiloscyllium punctatum (Hemiscyllidae), Hemigaleus microstoma (Hemigaleidae), Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides and C. dussumieri (Carcharhinidae) were the most common sharks recorded during this study. Some endemic and rare species were also recorded including Himantura lobistoma, H. pastinacoides, Pastinachus solocirostris (Dasyatidae) and Glyphis sp. (Carcharhinidae).

Helminthological examination of the snaggletooth shark, Hemipristis elongata (Klunzinger) (Carcharhiniformes: Hemigaleidae), from Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, yielded a phyllobothriid genus and species previously unknown to science. Hemipristicola gunterae gen. n., sp. n. is described here, and is placed in the subfamily Phyllobothriinae Braun, 1900. Of the other phyllobothriid genera, the new genus most closely resembles Paraorygmatobothrium in that both genera possess bothridia with a single loculus and apical sucker, post-vaginal testes and lateral vitellarium. Hemipristicola, however, differs from Paraorygmatobothrium in the morphology of the proximal bothridial surface microthrix, possessing serrate gladiate spinitriches with marginal serrations restricted to the distal half of the blade, and in the possession of a more extensive uterus, extending anteriorly from the anterior margin of the ovary to well past the level of the cirrus-sac. The new genus also differs from Paraorygmatobothrium by possessing testes that are more than one layer deep. Hemipristicola gunterae further differs from Paraorygmatobothrium species found in hemigaleid sharks in possessing vitelline follicles arranged in two lateral bands that are restricted to the lateral margins of the proglottid and not possessing a cephalic peduncle. Bayesian inference analysis of partial 28S rDNA data shows that H. gunterae forms a sister taxon to species of Paraorygmatobothrium. These two genera were resolved with high posterior probability support in the analysis. Hemipristicola gunterae is only the second phyllobothriid species to be described from Hemipristis elongata from Australian waters, and the fourth from the Australian hemigaleids.