1917.1 NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 279 



ON A FORGOTTEN GENUS OF SHARKS DESCRIBED BY NARDO. 

 DAVID STARR JORDAN. 



In a paper entitled " Observazione Ittiologiche" in the Annali 

 delle Scienze del Regno Lomhardo-Veneti, 1843, Professor Gian 

 Domenico Nardo, described a genus of sharks, to which I have seen 

 no subsequent allusion. He calls the genus Caninoa or Cojiinotus 

 in honor of Charles Lucien Bonaparte, prince of Canino. 



The type is Squalus barbarus Nardo or Caninoa ciereghini Nardo. 

 This shark is said to have but one dorsal fin, inserted behind the 

 ventrals, the gills 5 as in ordinary sharks; no spiracles; the teeth 

 equal, triangular, elongate, very sharp, dentate at the base. The 

 tail is not described. 



This agrees with no known shark. It is barely possible that it is 

 based on an individual of Carcharhinus commersoni which had its 

 first dorsal fin bitten off while very young. The Hexanchidse, sharks 

 with one dorsal fin, have spiracles, and teeth of a different type. A 

 deep water shark, Pentanchus Smith & Radcliffe, lately described 

 from the Philippines, has but one dorsal and five gill openings. 

 The small dorsal is, however, inserted over the very long anal and 

 the tricuspid teeth could hardlj" be described as merely dentate at 

 base. Pentanchus has minute spiracles. Caninoa is therefore based 

 on a mutilation or on some shark not seen since the original discovery. 



