Heterodontiformes

Heterodontiformes Temporal range:
Heterodontus japonicus
Paracestracion danieli
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Subclass:	Elasmobranchii
Superorder:	Galeomorphii
Order:	Heterodontiformes L. S. Berg, 1940
Genera
†Proheterodontus †Palaeoheterodontus †Procestracion †Protoheterodontus †Paracestracionidae †Paracestracion Heterodontidae Heterodontus

Heterodontiformes is an order of sharks in the superorder Galeomorphii. It includes the bullhead sharks (genus Heterodontus), and several extinct genera. The earliest known members of the group are from the Early Jurassic (Toarcian), around 175 million years ago. Several extinct genera are known from the Jurassic, with all except Paracestracion only known from isolated teeth. The teeth of heterodontiforms exhibit differerentation, with the front teeth having well developed cusps to grasp prey, while the back teeth are flattened, and serve to crush hard shelled prey. They inhabit shallow littoral environments. Paracestracion exhibits notable anatomical differences from Heterodontus and is placed in its own family, Paracestracionidae within the order. The oldest known members of Heterodontus appeared during the Late Jurassic.