Taxonomic assessment of sharks occurring in Pakistan (northern Arabian Sea)

We described the Sharks of Pakistan on the basis of external morphology represented by 41 species belonging to 10 families. Family Pseudocarchariidae (Pseudocarcharias kamoharai), family Alopidae (Alopias pelgicus, A. superciliosus), family Lamnidae (Isurus oxyrhinchus, I. paucus), family Hemiscyllidae (Chiloscyllium arabicum, C. indicum, C. griseum), family Stegostomatidae (Stegostoma tigrinum), family Ginglymostomatidae (Nebrius ferrugineus), family Rhincodontidae (Rhincodon typus), family Triakidae (Iago omanensis, Mustelus mosis), family Hemigaleidae (Chaenogaleus macrostoma, Hemipristis elongata), family Carcharhinidae (Carcharhinus altimus, C. amblyrhynchoides, C. amboinensis, C. brevipinna, C. dussumieri, C. falciformis, C. hemiodon, C. leucas, C. limbatus, C. longimanus, C. macloti, C. melanopterus, C. plumbeus, C. sorrah, Galeocerdo cuvier, Glyphis gangeticus, Lemiopsis temminckii, Loxodon macrorhinus, Negaprion acutidens, Prionace glauca, Rhizoprionodon acutus, Rhizoprionodon oligolinx, Scoliodon laticaudus, Triaenodon obesus), and family Sphyrnidae (Sphyrna lewini, S. mokkarran). There is a limited knowledge about the sharks in Pakistan and species identification can be difficult with similar-looking species, even for most experienced fisheries biologists. Here, we described the species of sharks occurring in Pakistani waters based on external morphology which will support the overall systematic stability of sharks, boost the gain of knowledge needed for their conservation in the northern Arabian Sea dominated by Pakistan and an identification key is also provide to discriminate the similar-looking species.