These two kinds of fish consist of almost every fish breed existing on the earth. Put together, there are 28,000 breeds of bony and cartilaginous fish. They display a scope of differences between them that causes it to be intriguing to conduct a comparison.
What is Cartilaginous Fish?
When describing a cartilaginous fish, it is a cartilage structure instead of bones, just as the name demonstrates. Rays, sharks, and skates are excellent instances of living cartilaginous fish. There is no link between their upper jaw and skull, so that they can move it autonomously. The skull consists of 10 cartilaginous regions, and they possess eyelids to safeguard their eyes. Cartilaginous fish do not have bone marrow and no ribs. As such, the creation of red blood cells occurs in the spleen. Dermal denticles coat the entire skin, and those are similar to the layout of our teeth. The maw is sub-terminal, meaning they are discovered ventrally in cartilaginous fish. They do not possess an operculum to coat the gills; about 5- to 7-gill slashes remain loose every time. Their caudal fin is not balanced, and the double lobes of the fin are not comparable in length. Another intriguing characteristic shows that their pectoral fin is similar to the longitudinal axis of the body, which benefits them to negate their body instead of giving the energy to glide through the water cue. Their light poundage skeleton, together with the oil-replenished liver, gives positivity against the hefty body. Their bulky weight could mash the inner organs outside the water, including sharks. They discharge urea as nitrogenous residue products. They are existing fossils since cartilaginous fishes began to develop before 420 million years, and more than 970 breeds live in the sea.
What is Bony Fish?
Just as their names imply, they possess a bony structure, which is calcified or ossified. Their upper jaw links with the skull, and the cranium keeps about 63 small skeletal components. Bony fishes often place their eyes open since they do not possess eyelids. They have scales coating their entire body, and the caudal fin is balanced. Adding to this, their pectoral fin is vertical to the longitudinal axis of the body. Bony fish possesses gas-crammed swim bladder, which is beneficial for buoyancy. They have a flap to coat the gills, called operculum—bony fish discharge ammonia as nitrogenous trash products. Bony fish live in freshwater and salt water, and they have above 27,000 extant breeds of them. However, bony fish is responsible for more than half of every vertebrate species all over the earth.
Difference Between Cartilaginous Fish and Bony Fish
- Cartilaginous fish possess above 970 breeds and live only in marine surroundings, while bony fish have above 27,000 species and live in fresh and saltwater.
- Cartilaginous fishes are known as endoskeletons, as well as bony fish.
- Cartilaginous fish possess loose gills slash, whereas bony fish possess operculum to coat gills.
- In cartilaginous fish, their upper jaw stirs around autonomously since it is not linked to the skull. In bony fish, the upper jaw is linked with the skull.
- In cartilaginous fish, their dermal denticles coat their entire body. Bony fish has scales that coat their whole body.
- Cartilaginous fish possess unbalanced caudal fins, while bony fish possess balanced caudal fins.
- In cartilaginous fish, the pectoral fin is similar to the longitudinal axis of the body. Bony fish is vertical to the longitudinal axis of the body.
- Cartilaginous fish possess an oil-replenish liver for buoyancy. Bony fish have gas-replenished bladders for buoyancy.
- The nitrogenous waste for cartilaginous fish is urea, while for bony fish is ammonia.
- Cartilaginous fish often possess a sub-terminal maw, while bony fish may be terminal or sub-terminal supra terminal based on their existing habitat in the water column.
