Do sharks have bones?

It’s true – sharks have no bones, per se. However, that does not mean that they’re as floppy as a jellyfish. They still have sturdy skeletons and are classified as vertebrates.

So what do sharks have instead of bones? In place of the hard bones that other vertebrates have, sharks have cartilage.

Cartilage is softer tissue, more flexible than bone, but still strong enough to hold muscle and skin in place. It’s the same stuff that you find in your ears and nose.

Can you feel it? You can bend and twist your ears much more than you could, say, your arm.

It’s also what makes babies’ bodies so supple. Humans start with cartilage on which our bones eventually ossify as they grow. That flexibility is how sharks manage to move swiftly through the water, and how they can twist and shake their prey once caught.

 

Picture Credit : Google

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