''Carcharodon'' () is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

shark Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, and pectoral fins that are not fused to the head. Modern sharks are classified within the clade Selachimo ...

s within the family

Lamnidae The Lamnidae are the family of mackerel sharks known as white sharks. They are large, fast-swimming predatory fish found in oceans worldwide, though prefer environments with colder water. The name of the family is formed from the Greek word ''lam ...

. The only extant member is the

great white shark The great white shark (''Carcharodon carcharias''), also known as the white shark, white pointer, or simply great white, is a species of large mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. It is nota ...

(''Carcharodon carcharias''). Hubell's white shark (''

Carcharodon hubbelli ''Carcharodon hubbelli'', also known as Hubbell's white shark, is an extinct species of white shark that evolved between 8 and 5 million years ago during the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene epochs. The shark is a transitional species, showing inter ...

'') is an extinct member of this genus.

Megalodon Megalodon (''Otodus megalodon''), meaning "big tooth", is an extinct species of mackerel shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago (Mya), from the Early Miocene to the Pliocene epochs. It was formerly thought to be a member ...

was once placed in this genus but is now placed in the genus '' Otodus,'' in their separate family Otodontidae. The name of the genus comes from the Greek words ''karchar s' ( κάρχαρος, meaning "jagged" or "sharp") and ''odōn'' ( ὀδών, "teeth") giving the Greek for "sharp" or "jagged tooth." A genus of giant carnivorous dinosaur, with sharp, slicing teeth of similar function to those of ''Carcharodon'' sharks was given the related name '' Carcharodontosaurus''.

Species

* ''

Carcharodon carcharias The great white shark (''Carcharodon carcharias''), also known as the white shark, white pointer, or simply great white, is a species of large mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. It is nota ...

'' ( Linnaeus,

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

) (the great white shark) *†''

'' Ehret, Macfadden, Jones, Devries, Foster & Salas-Gismondi, 2012 (Hubbell's white shark)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2938003 Taxa named by Andrew Smith (zoologist) Shark genera Fish genera with one living species