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Which of the following is not true?

a) Fishes in Chondrichthyes have cartilaginous skeletons.
b) The specimen with fused pectoral fins belongs to Osteichthyes.
c) Swim bladder is absent in fishes.
d) The unknown fish species has a bony skeleton.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The untrue statement is that the swim bladder is absent in fishes, as many bony fishes have a swim bladder. Fish in Chondrichthyes have cartilaginous skeletons, while Osteichthyes typically have bony skeletons.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that is not true regarding the characteristics of fish is: c) Swim bladder is absent in fishes. This statement is inaccurate because many fishes, specifically those that are categorized within Osteichthyes, possess a swim bladder that helps them to control their buoyancy. In contrast, fishes in Chondrichthyes, such as sharks and rays, have a cartilaginous skeleton and do not maintain a swim bladder.

Given the provided information about the unknown fish species, since it has a predominantly cartilaginous skeleton and a swim bladder but not fused pectoral fins, the fish would not belong to Osteichthyes, which would typically also have a bony skeleton. Instead, it appears to exhibit a mix of traits from both classes but does not definitively fit the usual characteristics of either, suggesting an atypical case or a need for further examination.

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