Caudal musculature in ground sharks, Carcharhiniformes, with remarks on their phylogenetic interrelationships.

Relationships among families of the shark order Carcharhiniformes are still being debated, for example, in relation to the inclusion of hammerhead sharks (Sphyrnidae) and the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) in the Carcharhinidae. Previous morphological studies have not analyzed the phylogenetic significance of axial caudal muscles among carcharhiniforms. The authors therefore describe here the axial muscles of the tail region (m.