Are Sharks Even Sharks? New Genetic Study Could Rewrite Shark Evolution.
A new genetic study challenges the long-held assumption that all shark species form a single evolutionary group. Researchers at Yale University analyzed the genomes of 48 cartilaginous fish, finding that different parts of the genome produced conflicting evolutionary trees. Specifically, ultraconserved elements suggest that the Hexanchiformes group, including frilled sharks, may be a sister lineage to all other sharks, rays, and skates, implying some sharks are less related to each other than previously believed. This finding could fundamentally alter our understanding of vertebrate evolution, particularly the development of jaws and body plans, given the ancient lineage of these fish. AI
