How many types of sharks are there in the world? Today, we’ll examine the types of sharks. Let’s dive in!
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As of late 2021, there are 512 species of sharks, but that number is almost certain to grow. Why is that? Well, there are 23 species of sharks that are waiting on scientific description to be considered “valid.” That brings the likely total of discovered sharks to 535!
Before we dive into 25 of the most unique shark species in the world, let’s examine the 8 different groups of sharks. There are 8 orders that comprise all known sharks. Learn all 8 of these and you’ll be familiar with how scientists group different types of sharks!
In total there are 131 types of dogfish shark, making it one of the most diverse orders of sharks. In fact, 24% of all shark species belong to this order! It is likely more dogfish sharks will continue being discovered as well.
Cow and filled sharks include: – Frilled shark: A “living fossil” with very primitive features. – South African frilled shark: A newly discovered species that was just described in 2009. – Bluntnose sixgill shark: Commonly known as the “cow shark.” One of the largest shark species, capable of growing to 20 feet in length!