Habitat Availability, Jurassic and Cretaceous Origins of the Deep-Bodied Shark Morphotype and the Rise of Pelagic Sharks.

ABSTRACT: Macroevolutionary trends in vertebrate morphology fundamentally shape our understanding of marine ecosystems through deep time. Body form influences interactions between organisms and their environment, dictating their locomotor capabilities and ability to hunt/escape from other species. Sharks (Elasmobranchii: Selachii) have been suggested to broadly exhibit two discrete body forms: one 'shallow-bodied' form associated with slow-moving benthic species and a 'deep-bodied' form typified by highly active pelagic taxa. Until now, no study has addressed the validity or evolution of these body forms in a phylogenetic framework. Hence, we lack understanding of when, why and how the body forms observed in extant species originally evolved. In this study, we reconstruct the evolutionary history of

SUBMITTER: Gayford JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12396820 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature