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Questions and Answers
What is the main function of the vertebral column in vertebrates?
What is the main function of the vertebral column in vertebrates?
- To provide support and protection for the spinal cord (correct)
- To protect the brain
- To regulate body temperature
- To facilitate movement and locomotion
What is the main advantage of having bones over cartilage in vertebrates?
What is the main advantage of having bones over cartilage in vertebrates?
- Bones allow for more efficient respiration
- Bones provide better protection for organs (correct)
- Bones are more flexible than cartilage
- Bones are stronger than cartilage
What is the primary function of gills in fish?
What is the primary function of gills in fish?
- To absorb oxygen from water (correct)
- To maintain buoyancy
- To filter out food particles
- To regulate water pressure
Which of the following senses is unique to sharks?
Which of the following senses is unique to sharks?
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What is the name of the organ that allows fish to maintain buoyancy?
What is the name of the organ that allows fish to maintain buoyancy?
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Do sharks have a swim bladder?
Do sharks have a swim bladder?
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Study Notes
Vertebrates
- Vertebrate means an animal has a backbone.
- The vertebral column first evolved in fish and is the core of the endoskeleton (internal skeleton), housing and protecting the spinal cord.
Vertebral Column
- In many species, shock-absorbing discs cushion vertebrae.
- The endoskeleton is made up of cartilage or bone.
- Cartilage is a tough tissue that contains a protein called collagen.
- Bone is a hard tissue that consists of a collagen matrix with calcium.
- Bone is less flexible, but cartilage is stronger.
Fish
- Fish are aquatic vertebrates.
- They make up more than half of all vertebrate species.
- Scales protect fish from predators and parasites.
Adaptations for Water
- Gills allow water to enter the mouth, pass over the gills, and exit through an opening, absorbing oxygen.
- Fins are used for swimming.
- A system of muscles is used for movement.
- Swim-bladder is a balloon-like organ that contains gas, allowing fish to float and have buoyancy.
Fish Organ Systems
- Fish have a circulatory system with a two-chambered heart.
- They have a digestive system with several organs and glands.
- They have a central nervous system with a brain and sensory organs.
Shark Specifics
- Sharks can sense low levels of electricity emitted by their prey.
- Sharks do not have a swim-bladder.
- Sharks do not have bones, only cartilage.
- Sharks have a two-chambered heart.
- Male sharks have claspers on the outside of the body for sperm production.
- Sharks have lots of oil in the body, which is lighter than water, helping them float.
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