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Which two major subclasses make up 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, which consists of cartilaginous fishes, is divided into two major subclasses:
- Elasmobranchii: This subclass includes sharks, skates, and rays.12
- Holocephali: This subclass comprises the chimaeras and their relatives.12
While some taxonomic systems may treat these groups as separate classes, they are commonly grouped together within the class Chondrichthyes due to shared characteristics in their skeletal structure, physiology, and internal organs.2