six or even seven gill slits may have been present, though this has not been confirmed. The gill slits were separated by muscular flaps packed with fibrous overlapping gill filaments.

There are a pair of large pectoral fins behind the gills and low pelvic fins further back along the underside. Cladoselache has two dorsal fins, with the first being larger and preceded by a stout, curved fin spine. The caudal peduncle (tail) is