Name: ALYSSA E.

BACARRO Rating: _______

Lab 5
Knowing of Chondreichthyes
I Introduction
There are two classes of living fish with jaws: the Chondrichthyes (the
cartilaginous fish or elasmobranchs) and the Osteichthyes (the bony fish). Both
classes of fish have two pairs of lateral fins and a finned tail for propulsion in
water.Their jaws and pharyngeal gill slits are large to obtain the oxygen and
nutrients needed by their very active lives. The two classes of fish contain more
living species than any other class of vertebrates! Members of two other early
Classes , the placoderms and acanthodians ,are now extinct.
CLASS CHONDRICHTHYES: Cartilaginous fish
Sharks, rays and chimaeras have a cartilaginous skeleton lacking bone. Placoid
scales, formed from dermal denticles, cover their bodies. The external opening of
the gill slits lacks a cover or 'operculum'. Their tails are usually heterocercal: the part
of the fin below the vertebral column is larger than that above.
The cartilaginous skeleton of the ray (behind) shows the rostrum, the nasal
capsules, the jaws and the branchial arches, which support the gills, and the spinal
column.
The model of a shark (in front) shows the gill openings (without an operculum), the
gills, their blood supply, the pumping heart and circulatory system.
CLASS OSTEICHTHYES: Bony fish
The 'bony' fish have bony skeletons. Overlapping scales, lying under a thin
layer of skin, cover the body. An operculum covers the external openings of the gill
slits. Their tails are typically homocercal: the parts of fin above and below the
vertebral column being equal. An internal swim bladder contains air.

The main difference between Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes is that the

II Objectives
1. To familiarize the description and characteristics of Chondreichthyes and
Osteichtyes.
2. Focus of familiarization of sample organisms for each Chondreichthyes and
Osteichtyes.

III Procedures
1. Using the Study Materials plus your additional references, refer your
discussions to this lab activity.

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 2. Draw at least four organisms per page in each of the of Classes and
Subclasses in short bond papers.
3. If you wish to add more drawings and pages on this part, you are not
prevented to do so and additional points will be given to your being
resourceful.
4. Drawing might either in pen or in pencil or in print downloaded from an
internet and must be arranged neatly and putting of names or description
for each drawing of sample organism.

IV Materials:
Laptop , pen, cellphone and paper.

V Drawings

CHIMAERA FISH

SKATE FISH

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RAY FISH

SHARK

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VI Discussion
Any member of the broad group of cartilaginous fishes, which includes the
sharks, skates, rays, and chimaeras, is referred to as chondrichthyan (class
Chondrichthyes), also known as chondrichthian. The osteichthians, or bony fishes,
are the other of the two major groups of living fish, and the class is one of them.
The group that includes the sharks is also occasionally referred to as Selachii. These
fish are particularly interesting to scientists because they have many distinctive
morphological, physiological, biochemical, and behavioral traits. Anatomy of
vertebrates is frequently introduced to biology students by the dissection of a tiny
shark. Since many of the extant sharks and rays belong to the same genera as
species that sailed the Cretaceous seas over 100 million years ago, these fish are, in
a sense, living fossils. There are known to be more than 400 species of sharks and
over 500 species of rays. Modern chondrichthyans have significantly fewer species
than the more evolved bony fishes, or teleosts, while being by any measure a
successful group. Osteichtyes these fish are particularly interesting to scientists
because they have many distinctive morphological, physiological, biochemical, and
behavioral traits. Anatomy of vertebrates is frequently introduced to biology students
by the dissection of a tiny shark. Since many of the extant sharks and rays belong to
the same genera as species that sailed the Cretaceous seas over 100 million years
ago, these fish are, in a sense, living fossils. There are known to be more than 400
species of sharks and over 500 species of rays. Modern chondrichthyans have
significantly fewer species than the more evolved bony fishes, or teleosts, while
being by any measure a successful group.
Sharks typically have a tough skin that is dull gray in colour and is roughened
by toothlike scales. They also usually have a muscular, asymmetrical, upturned tail;
pointed fins; and a pointed snout extending forward and over a crescentic mouth set
with sharp triangular teeth. Skates are rounded to diamond-shaped in form. They
have large pectoral fins extending from or nearly from the snout to the base of the
slender tail, and some have sharp “noses” produced by a cranial projection, the
rostral cartilage. Skates may be solid coloured or patterned. Rays are distinguished
from sharks by  located on the underside a flattened, disklike body, with the five gill
openings and the mouth generally. Coelacanths are elusive, deep-sea creatures,

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living in depths up to 2,300 feet below the surface.  Lungfishes have like bodies;
slender, almost-filamentous paired fins; lack scales; have paired lungs; have larvae
with external gills; and must breathe air to survive. Bichirs body is covered in thick,
bonelike, and rhombic (ganoid) scales. Paddlefish have a gray, shark-like body with
a deeply forked tail, and a long, flat blade-like snout (looks like a kitchen spatula)
almost one third of its body's entire length. It opens its huge mouth when feeding.
Paddlefish resemble sharks not only by shape, but by their skeletons as well. The
bowfin is a bony sport fish with a long cylindrical body and a long dorsal fin that
extends over half the length of its back. Teleosts are characterized by a fully
movable maxilla and premaxilla (which form the biting surface of the upper jaw); the
movable upper jaw makes it possible for teleosts to protrude their jaws when
opening the mouth. Teleosts are also distinguished by having fully homocercal
(symmetrical) tails.

VII Generalization

My insight doing this activity is I know the fishes that fist time I see and i
research more to know the difference fishes in this activity I read more about this
activity to know more about the Chondreichthyes.

VIII References

https://www.google.com/search?
q=compare+the+difference+between+chondrichthyes+and+osteichthyes+in+
terms+of+their+characteristics&oq=&aqs=chrome.3.69i58j69i177j35i39i362i52
4l2j46i39i362i524j35i39i362i524l10.1j0j9&client=ms-android-vivo-
rvo2&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8