Which class contains sharks whose skeletons are lighter and more flexible than bony fish skeletons?
Answer
Chondrichthyes
The class Chondrichthyes encompasses sharks, skates, and rays, whose defining physical trait is a skeleton constructed entirely of cartilage rather than bone. This cartilaginous composition results in a structure that is inherently lighter and more flexible than the dense skeletons found in bony fish, classified under Osteichthyes. This structural characteristic impacts key biomechanical factors like buoyancy control and overall swimming mechanics. This lighter framework represents an evolutionary development that separates these species from their more recently evolved bony counterparts.
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