Chondrichthyes Overview Quiz

Questions and Answers

What class do the sharks, rays, and skates belong to?

Chondrichthyes

Chondrichthyes have one of the biggest vertebrates. What animal is it?

Whale shark

What do whale sharks eat?

Planktons

What super class do sharks, skates, and rays belong to?

Gnathostomata Signup and view all the answers

Why can't sharks maneuver easily?

They have a heterocercal tail that makes it hard for them to maneuver. Signup and view all the answers

What kind of scales do Chondrichthyes have?

Placoid scales Signup and view all the answers

All sharks can detect electric fields with their electroreceptors. What is the electroreceptor called?

The ampullae of Lorenzini Signup and view all the answers

Sharks have good vision up close.

True Signup and view all the answers

What does the electrosensor allow the shark to do?

Locate potential prey Signup and view all the answers

What do Chondrichthyans use to detect prey?

Ampullae of Lorenzini Signup and view all the answers

What can be used in sharks to find their mate?

Lateral line system, ampullae of Lorenzini, and olfactory system. Signup and view all the answers

How do sharks respirate?

Buccal pumping Signup and view all the answers

What muscles are used for buccal pumping?

Cheek muscles Signup and view all the answers

Explain buccal pumping.

Muscles pull water into the mouth and over the gills. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the function of the enlarged spiracle.

Enlarged spiracle acts like a mouth by pulling in water. The water then exits through the gill slits. Signup and view all the answers

What is it called when a shark keeps swimming to push extra oxygen over its gills?

RAM ventilation Signup and view all the answers

With what do sharks force water over their gills?

Mouth and nostril Signup and view all the answers

What do sharks use to keep afloat?

Squalene Signup and view all the answers

All uterine secretions come from what?

Cloaca Signup and view all the answers

What works together to secrete NaCl solution and regulate ions?

Kidney and rectal gland Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the kidney of the sharks?

Opisthonephric Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the waste secreted by opisthonephric kidney?

Urea Signup and view all the answers

Spermatophores go through where in the claspers?

Via groove Signup and view all the answers

What fertilizes the eggs in the shark?

Spermatophores Signup and view all the answers

How do sharks reproduce?

Internal fertilization via claspers into cloaca. Some claspers have hooks and spurs to grip on to females. Signup and view all the answers

How big can the shark's egg get?

It varies Signup and view all the answers

How long do the eggs take to hatch?

It varies Signup and view all the answers

How long do sharks take to reach sexual maturity?

Almost all their life Signup and view all the answers

When sexes congregate to mate, what is it called?

Mating circles Signup and view all the answers

Why do females have thicker skin?

Males bite into the fin when mating Signup and view all the answers

What ovary in the shark is more developed?

The right one Signup and view all the answers

What are the claspers made of?

Rolls of cartilage stiffened with calcium Signup and view all the answers

What testes is more developed?

The right one Signup and view all the answers

Sharks that lay yolky eggs in thick capsules usually attach to what?

Substrate (algae, coral, pushed into sediment) Signup and view all the answers

Embryos nourished via placenta or uterine secretion, 2-20 pups. Parental care ends after birth. What is this called?

Viviparous Signup and view all the answers

Most common. Eggs develop and hatch in uterus. Retain developing young in uterus. Less pups. Yolk sac - no direct nourishment from mom. Young may eat other eggs. What is this called?

Oviviparous Signup and view all the answers

What is it called when animals eat each other in the stomach?

Intrauterine cannibalism Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important for the placoid cells to have blood running to them?

Make the enamel hard. Signup and view all the answers

Is the coating sort of what we have in our teeth around the placoid cell?

Dentine Signup and view all the answers

What are the two chambers of the sharks called?

Atrium and ventricle Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Classification

Sharks, rays, and skates belong to the class Chondrichthyes.
The largest vertebrate is the whale shark.

Dietary Habits

Whale sharks primarily feed on plankton.

Anatomy and Sensory Systems

Sharks, skates, and rays fall under the superclass Gnathostomata.
Heterocercal tails hinder sharks' maneuverability.
Chondrichthyes possess placoid scales.
They detect electric fields using electroreceptors, specifically the ampullae of Lorenzini.
Sharks can locate prey using the ampullae of Lorenzini and have good close-up vision.

Respiratory Mechanisms

Sharks breathe using a method called buccal pumping, involving the cheek muscles to pull water in over the gills.
Enlarged spiracles assist in pulling water, which exits through the gill slits.
Continuous swimming aids respiration through ram ventilation facilitated by the mouth and nostril.

Buoyancy and Excretion

To maintain buoyancy, sharks utilize squalene.
Waste is expelled through the cloaca.
The kidney and rectal gland work together to regulate ions and secrete NaCl solutions.

Reproductive Systems

Sharks possess opisthonephric kidneys which excrete urea.
Spermatophores fertilize shark eggs via a groove in the claspers.
Reproduction occurs through internal fertilization into the cloaca, sometimes involving hooks and spurs for attachment.

Egg Development and Maturity

Shark eggs vary in size and hatching time, taking a long duration to reach sexual maturity.
Sharks form mating circles when sexes congregate to mate.
Males bite females during mating, leading to thicker skin on female sharks.

Developmental Biology

The right ovary and right testis are more developed in sharks.
Oviparous species lay yolky eggs in thick capsules; embryos may be nourished in the uterus, leading to viviparous and ovoviviparous reproductive strategies.
Intrauterine cannibalism describes when developing young eat each other in the womb.

Dentition and Digestion

Placoid cells with blood supply create hard enamel, while a coating called dentine is akin to human teeth.
Sharks possess two heart chambers: the atrium and ventricle.
Digestive processes involve complex mechanisms, though specific details were not provided.

These notes condense information on sharks, skates, and rays focusing on biological classification, sensory and respiratory systems, reproductive strategies, and anatomical features.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the fascinating world of Chondrichthyes, which includes sharks, rays, and skates. This quiz covers their anatomical features, dietary habits, and respiratory mechanisms. Dive in to explore the unique adaptations that enable these incredible creatures to thrive in aquatic environments.