Squatiniformes

{{automatic taxobox

| oldest_fossil = Late Jurassic

| image = Squatina dumeril SI.jpg

| image_caption = Squatina dumeril

| image2 = Naturkundemuseum Engelhai Pseudorhina sp.17RM1984.jpg

| image2_caption = Fossil of Pseudorhina from the Late Jurassic of Germany

| taxon = Squatiniformes

| authority = Compagno, 1973

| subdivision_ranks = Families

| subdivision = *†Pseudorhinidae Klug and Kriwet, 2012

• †Pseudorhina
• Squatinidae Bonaparte, 1838
• †Cretasquatina
• †Cretascyllium
• †Parasquatina?
• Squatina

}}

Squatiniformes is an order of sharks belonging to Squalomorphi. It contains only a single living genus Squatina, commonly known as angelsharks. The oldest genus of the order, Pseudorhina is known from the Late Jurassic of Europe.{{Cite journal |last1=Klug |first1=Stefanie |last2=Kriwet |first2=Jürgen |date=2013 |title=Node age estimations and the origin of angel sharks, Squatiniformes (Neoselachii, Squalomorphii) |journal=Journal of Systematic Palaeontology |language=en |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=91–110 |doi=10.1080/14772019.2012.674066 |bibcode=2013JSPal..11...91K |issn=1477-2019}} Three other genera, Cretasquatina, Cretascyllium and Parasquatina are known from Cretaceous fossils from North America and Europe,{{Cite journal |last1=Maisey |first1=John G. |last2=Ehret |first2=Dana J. |last3=Denton |first3=John S.S. |date=2020-06-16 |title=A New Genus of Late Cretaceous Angel Shark (Elasmobranchii; Squatinidae), with Comments on Squatinid Phylogeny |url=https://bioone.org/journals/american-museum-novitates/volume-2020/issue-3954/3954.1/A-New-Genus-of-Late-Cretaceous-Angel-Shark-Elasmobranchii-Squatinidae/10.1206/3954.1.full |journal=American Museum Novitates |issue=3954 |pages=1–29 |doi=10.1206/3954.1 |s2cid=219700378 |issn=0003-0082}}{{Cite journal |last1=Guinot |first1=Guillaume |last2=Underwood |first2=Charlie J. |last3=Cappetta |first3=Henri |last4=Ward |first4=David J. |date=2012-05-11 |title=Squatiniformes (Chondrichthyes, Neoselachii) from the Late Cretaceous of southern England and northern France with redescription of the holotype of Squatina cranei Woodward, 1888 |journal=Palaeontology |language=en |volume=55 |issue=3 |pages=529–551 |doi=10.1111/j.1475-4983.2012.01140.x |bibcode=2012Palgy..55..529G |s2cid=129829100 |issn=0031-0239}} though the placement of Parasquatina in the order has been questioned. All living and extinct members of the order share a similar body morphology with a highly flattened body with enlarged pectoral and pelvic fins suggestive of a bottom-dwelling ambush predator ecology.{{Cite journal |last1=López-Romero |first1=Faviel A. |last2=Stumpf |first2=Sebastian |last3=Pfaff |first3=Cathrin |last4=Marramà |first4=Giuseppe |last5=Johanson |first5=Zerina |last6=Kriwet |first6=Jürgen |date=2020-07-28 |title=Evolutionary trends of the conserved neurocranium shape in angel sharks (Squatiniformes, Elasmobranchii) |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=10 |issue=1 |page=12582 |doi=10.1038/s41598-020-69525-7 |issn=2045-2322 |pmc=7387474 |pmid=32724124|bibcode=2020NatSR..1012582L }} Teeth have been assigned to the modern genus from the Late Jurassic onwards, but the actual genus assignment of many of these species is unclear. The earliest records that can be assigned with confidence to the modern genus are known from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) of England.