 In 1952, Philip Orkin advocated that "Pristiurus" take precedence over "Galeus", based on David Starr Jordan and Barton Warren Evermann's (possibly questionable) designation of "G. mustelus" as a type species for "Galeus" in 1896.Leonard Compagno and most other recent authors have not upheld his proposal, in the interests of taxonomic stability.Most taxonomic studies have concluded the closest relatives of "Galeus" to be "Apristurus", "Asymbolus", "Parmaturus", and/or "Cephalurus".