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cycloid scale
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Diagram showing four types of fish scales: ctenoid scales from a bass, cycloid scales from a salmon, ganoid scales from a gar, and placoid scales from a shark, each illustrated with a close-up and the corresponding fish silhouette.
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cycloid scale

zoology
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Diagram showing four types of fish scales: ctenoid scales from a bass, cycloid scales from a salmon, ganoid scales from a gar, and placoid scales from a shark, each illustrated with a close-up and the corresponding fish silhouette.
types of fish scales Scales and scale configurations of representative bony and cartilaginous fishes.

In zoology, a cycloid scale is a type of scale found on advanced fish. These scales are characterized by being large, thin, and round or oval in shape. They also exhibit visible growth rings, which can indicate the age of the fish. Cycloid scales are smooth and lack the comb-like teeth found on ctenoid scales. They are distinct from the bony placoid scales of sharks or the ganoid scales of gars.12

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4 Britannica Sources
  1. scale
  2. scorpaeniform - Annotated classification
  3. cycloid
  4. Cycloidei

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