What is the Relationship within the Family Lamnidae?

Uncertainties remain about the relationship within the family Lamnidae, which includes the white shark, 2 makos, theporbeagle, and salmon shark. Several alternative hypotheses have been suggested related to the Lamnidae phylogeny. The aim of this study was to find an accurate answer to the family Lamnidae interrelationship. To that extend, the mitochondrial cytochrome bgene was studied in all the Lamnidae species and 2 outgroups from the families Alopiidae and Odontaspididae. The monophyly of 2makos were obtained from both DNA and amino acid (AA) parsimony analysis. Based on our analysis, first the white shark joins thisgroup, which is a sister taxon to the genus Isurus (makos), as reported by Naylor. In the AA parsimony analysis, the 2 makos and porbeagle-white shark branches come together as the monophyletic family Isurus, but not Lamna. These results agree with Compagnos suggestion and Martins findings.