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Which animals belong to the class Chondrichthyes?
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chondrichthyan
Southern stingrays (Dasyatis americana or Hypanus americanus) are found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
The class Chondrichthyes consists of a diverse group of cartilaginous fishes. These animals are primarily categorized into two main groups:12
- Elasmobranchs: This subclass includes all sharks, skates, and rays.12
- Holocephalans: This group consists of chimaeras and their relatives.2
While sharks, skates, and rays are the most well-known members, the class encompasses a wide variety of species, including stingrays, sawfishes, electric rays, and various shark orders such as angel sharks, mackerel sharks, and ground sharks. These fishes are distinguished from bony fishes by their cartilaginous skeletons and other unique physiological traits, such as the possession of placoid scales and the absence of a swim bladder.123