This lifeform is found in the Pacific Ocean off California, Oregon and Washington.

Swell Shark (Cephaloscyllium ventriosum) is found in shallow water kelp areas from Monterey south into Mexico. This unusual shark fills its stomach with air when removed from water. When returned to the water, it will float upside down until it expels the air.

Cat Sharks (Family Scyliorhinidae) are a group of about ninety species of small sharks that are found worldwide. Following are some of the species in this family:

  Brown Cat Shark     Apisturus brunneus         Eastern Pacific
  Longnose Cat Shark  Apisturus kampae           Pacific
  Flathead Cat Shark  Apristurus laurussoni      North Atlantic
  Australian Swell    Cephaloscyllium laticeps   Pacific
  Swell Shark         Cephaloscyllium ventriosum Eastern Pacific
  Marbled Cat Shark   Galeus arae                Caribbean
  Skaamong            Holohalaelurus regani      S. Africa
  File Tail Cat       Parmaturus xaniurus        Pacific
  Japan False Cat     Pseudotriakis acrages      Japan
  False Cat Shark     Pseudotriakis microdon     North Atlantic
                      Scyliorhinus boa           Cuba to Brazil
  Lesser Spotted Dog  Scyliorhinus caniculus     Europe
  Chain Dogfish       Scyliorhinus retifer       N-west Atlantic
  Large Spotted Dog   Scyliorhinus stellarius    N-west Atlantic

True Shark group (Order Lamniformes) contains the majority of the world's species of living sharks. They are characterized by  having five gill slits. Some taxonomists recognize over fifteen families in this order.

Sharks and rays (Elasmobranchi), cartilaginous fishes, deserve to be a class separate from the normal fish, in that they do not have a bone skeleton but rather a cartilage skeleton.

Fertilization is internal in this class which also separates them from the bony fish class. Although there are a few fresh water species, the majority of the species in this class are found in salt water. As of 2005, there were about 500 known species of sharks and about 600 known species of rays.

David Ebert, author of a recent book on sharks, rays, and chimaeras of California, counts a total of 988 described species in the class with about 150 additional species awaiting scientific description. He breaks down the described species to 410 species of sharks, 543 species of rays, and 35 species of chimaeras.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.