Which Class groups the Xingu River Ray with sharks based on skeletal composition?
Answer
Chondrichthyes
The classification places the Xingu River Ray into the Class Chondrichthyes. This grouping is fundamental because it defines the animal by the composition of its internal structure—its skeleton is primarily made up of cartilage rather than true bone. This feature is shared with sharks and skates, distinguishing them from bony fish, which belong to the Class Osteichthyes. The characteristic of having a cartilaginous skeleton is a primary identifier used by taxonomists to place this ray accurately within the biological hierarchy.
Related Questions
What distinguishes the Family Potamotrygonidae of the Xingu River Ray?What do the Greek roots *potamos* and *trygon* summarize in the Genus name *Potamotrygon*?Which Class groups the Xingu River Ray with sharks based on skeletal composition?What profound ecological implication arises from *Potamotrygon leopoldi*'s endemism to the Xingu River?What historically used name served as an abbreviation for *Potamotrygon leopoldi* before formal species description?What morphological characteristic defines the Order Myliobatiformes to which *P. leopoldi* belongs?What specific visual trait defines the dorsal surface of *Potamotrygon leopoldi*?What key feature characterizes the Phylum Chordata that the Xingu River Ray belongs to?What disc width can mature specimens of *Potamotrygon leopoldi* typically attain?How does the species designation *P. leopoldi* typically differ morphologically from other Amazonian *Potamotrygon* species?