jawless fish

     

Agnatha (Greek, "no jaws") is a paraphyleticsuperclass of jawless fish in the phylum Chorata, subphylum Vertebrata. It has existed since the Cambrian, and continues to live now. There are two extant groups of jawless fish (sometimes called cyclostomes), the lampreys and the hagfish, with about 100 species in total. Although they are in the subphylum Vertebrata, hagfish technically do not have vertebrae; they are sometimes classified in Craniata. In addition to the absence of jaws, Agnatha are characterised by absence of paired fins; the presence of a notochord both in larvae and adults; and seven or more paired gill pouches. There is a light sensitive pineal eye (homologous to the pineal gland in mammals). All living and most extinct Agnatha do not have an identifiable stomach or any appendages. Fertilization and development are both external. There is no parental care in the Agnatha class. The Agnatha are ectothermic, with a cartilaginous skeleton, and the heart contains 2 chambers.

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