Genus Ginglymostoma

Author: Müller and Henle, 1837

Diagnostic Features:
Teeth not compressed in sides of jaw, not imbricated. Pectoral, dorsal and anal fins apically rounded, pectoral fins broad and not falcate.

Remarks:
Ginglymostoma brevicaudatum may not be congeneric with G. cirratum and is possibly referrable to the genus Eostegostoma. Herman and Crochard, 1977 (based on fossil teeth). In addition to G. brevicaudatum and G. cirratum, Scyllium ferrugineum Lesson, 1830 is often included in this genus, but is here included in Nebrius.

Bigelow and Schroeder (1948) stated that Ginglymostoma differed from Nebrius by having teeth with the "central cusp largest" and several "rows" functional, while Nebrius had teeth with "all cusps about equal" and with only one or two "rows" functional. However, representative Nebrius material shows overlap with Ginglymostoma by having teeth also with the "central cusp largest" and in having two or three "rows" (series) functional (vs. 3 or 4 in G. cirratum). Ginglymostoma as here restricted includes species with rounded fins and non-imbricated tooth series, while Nebrius includes species with angular fins and imbricated tooth series (N. ferrugineum and its possible synonym N. concolor).

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