Description
Comprising all fishes with a cartilaginous skeleton that may be calcified but is never ossified, and an unsutured skull. The teeth are never set in bone, attached to subepithelial tissue instead. The mouth is ventral to a snout that is usually produced into a rostum. All species are carnivorous.
These medium to large-sized fishes are lacking a swim bladder. Fertilization is always internal, the males of this class have the pelvic fins modified into claspers.
The Chondrichthyes are a class of typically marine vertebrates, though some species may penetrate or spend their entire live in freshwater.