Elasmobranchii Collection

Fish Gallery, September 1890
The Fish Gallery attractions included a 8.5m (28 ft) long basking shark caught near Shanklin, Isle of Wight, and wood from a whaling ship, the Farquharson, pierced by swordfish lances

Hemiscyllium ocellatum, epaulette shark
Ff. 56. Pencil sketch by Herman Dietrich Sporing made during Captain James Cooks first voyage to explore the southern continent 1768-1771

Blue Spotted Stingray (Dasyatis kuhlii, also known as Kuhls Stingray

Sharks teeth
Tooth of an extinct shark (Carcharodon megalodon) on the right, compared with a tooth from a modern Great White shark, (Carcharodon carcharias) on the left

Squalus maximus, Basking shark taken at Brighton 5 Dec 1812
Watercolour and ink

Pelagic thresher shark (Alopias pelagicus) swimming in open ocean, Malapascua Island, Philippines, Pacific Ocean

Tonguestone (sharks tooth) with lateral denticles
Tooth of the extinct shark (Lamna obliqua Agassiz). Specimen orgininating from the London Clay (Eocene), Sheppey, Kent

Scyliorhinus canicula, dogfish
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of the scales of a dogfish (x 40)

A most stupendous basking shark caught within one league of
Advertising flyer for the public exhibition in London of a basking shark caught in Brighton

Salmon shark (Lamna ditropis). Port Fidalgo, Alaska, USA. July

Smalltooth sand tiger shark (Odontaspis ferox), view from below. El Hierro. Canary Islands

Pelagic thresher shark (Alopias pelagicus) being cleaned by a bluestreak cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) at Monad Shoal off Malapascua Island, Philippines

Thresher shark (Alopias pelagicus) swimming over seabed to be cleaned by cleaner wrasses, Cebu, Malaspascua, Philippines, September

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) breaking surface with mouth open. Guadalupe Island, Mexico

RF- Rear view of Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) feeding on plankton, visible as white dots on water surface near island of Coll, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK. June

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) from above. Guadalupe Island, Baja California, Mexico. East Pacific Ocean

Southern stingray (Hypanus americanus) swimming over sand ripples on sandbar, Stingray City, Grand Cayman. British West Indies

Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) feeding on plankton in surface waters close to the island of Coll, Inner Hebrides. Scotland, UK. Atlantic Ocean. June

Japanese bullhead shark (Heterodontus japonicus) on reef. Chiba Prefecture, Honshu, Japan. May

Atlantic sixgill shark (Hexanchus vitulus) swimming with open mouth. Cape Eleuthera, Bahamas

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) Guadalupe Island or Isla Guadalupe, Pacific Ocean, Mexico, September. Vulnerable species

Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) males beneath the surface. Guadalupe Island, Baja California, Mexico. East Pacific Ocean

Giant Pacific Manta Ray (Manta birostris) portrait with Remora fish (Echeneididae) Roca Partida, Revillagigedos Islands, Mexico. East Pacific Ocean. February

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) Guadalupe Island, Mexico, Pacific Ocean

Southern stingray (Hypanus americanus) swimming over ripples on sandbar, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

A school of Southern stingrays (Hypanus americanus) on a sand bar, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. British West Indies. Caribbean Sea

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) swimming under the ocean surface in open water, Guadalupe Island, Mexico, Pacific Ocean

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) swimming close to the surface, Guadalupe Island, Baja California, Mexico, Pacific Ocean

Salmon shark (Lamna ditropis) swimming, Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA, Pacific Ocean

Jaws of Salmon shark (Lamna ditropis), Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA. July

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) swimming, Guadalupe Island, Mexico, Pacific Ocean

RF - Male Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) swimming beneath the surface, Guadalupe Island, Baja California, Mexico, Pacific Ocean

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) dorsal fin visible on surface. Guadalupe Island, Mexico

Sand Tiger Shark (Eugomphodus taurus)
Close-up of Sand Tiger Shark (Eugomphodus taurus). Durban, South Africa. Image digitally altered to remove distracting or to add more interesting background. The main subject has not been altered

Manta ray (Manta birostris) feeding on plankton in a shallow lagoon. Hanifaru Lagoon, Baa Atoll, Maldives. Indian Ocean

A school of lesser devil rays (Mobula hypostoma) flying through sunbeams as they feed. Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Caribbean Sea

Eye and spiracle detail of a Bluespotted / Ribbontail Stingray (Taeniura lymma) Sipadan Island, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia. May

Group of Manta rays (Manta birostris) feeding together on plankton in a shallow lagoon. Hanifaru Lagoon, Baa Atoll, Maldives. Indian Ocean

Odontaspis robusta, sand tiger shark teeth
Odontaspis robusta from the Early Eocene rocks of Abbey Wood, Kent. Anterior teeth (tall, slender) and lateral teeth (triangular) are shown

LS Plate 192 from the John Reeves Collection
John Reeves, a 19th Century Tea Inspector, travelled to Canton, China in order to develop a large collection of Chinese natural history drawings

NA
Both of these Pantropical spotted dolphins, Stenella attenuata, have wounds on inflicted at night from a cookie cutter shark, Isistius brasiliensis

A look at the front end of a Bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas), Bequ Lagoon, Viti Levu, Fiji. This species is known for its ability to survive in fresh water where it gives birth to its young; Viti

Grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) are a common coastal-pelagic and inshore species found on coral reefs adjacent to drop-offs involving current and the open ocean

Basking shark
Hand-drawn graphite and watercolour wash depicting side view of head of Basking shark transported from Brighton to London. 10th Dec 1812. Date: 1812

Stingray (Dasyatidae)

Carcharodon carcharias, great white shark jaw bones
Specimen of the jaw bones of a great white shark. This species can be found in temperate coastal waters the world over and can grow up to 6m in length

LS Plate 186 from the John Reeves Collection
John Reeves, a 19th Century Tea Inspector, travelled to Canton, China in order to develop a large collection of Chinese natural history drawings

Aetobatus narinari, spotted eagle ray
LS Plate 190 from the John Reeves Collection. John Reeves, a 19th Century Tea Inspector, travelled to Canton, China in order to develop a large collection of Chinese natural history drawings

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

Elasmobranchii, also known as sharks and rays, have fascinated scientists and nature enthusiasts for centuries. This Fish Gallery from September 1890 showcases the incredible diversity of these ancient creatures. In the vast Pacific Ocean near Malapascua Island in the Philippines, a Pelagic thresher shark gracefully cuts through the open water. Its long tail acts as a weapon to stun its prey, making it an apex predator of its domain. The Blue Spotted Stingray, also known as Kuhls Stingray, displays its mesmerizing pattern while gliding effortlessly through the ocean depths. Its elegant movements are a testament to nature's artistry. A historic moment captured on December 5th, 1812 at Brighton reveals a massive Basking shark (Squalus maximus). This gentle giant is renowned for filter-feeding on plankton and small fish by opening its colossal mouth wide. The Hemiscyllium ocellatum or epaulette shark exhibits unique adaptations with elongated fins that allow it to "walk" along shallow coral reefs. Its striking appearance makes it stand out among other species. Tonguestone or shark's tooth fossils provide evidence of their existence since prehistoric times. These teeth bear lateral denticles that aided them in catching elusive prey throughout their evolutionary journey. The Scyliorhinus canicula or dogfish represents one of many smaller species within this diverse group. Their nocturnal habits and sharp senses make them efficient hunters even in dimly lit waters. Divers brave enough to encounter Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) off Guadalupe Island in Mexico witness true awe-inspiring moments. These majestic predators command respect with their sheer power and presence underwater. An extraordinary account tells of a most stupendous basking shark caught within one league of unknown origins—a testament to both human curiosity and elasmobranchii's ability to surprise us.