#DOES A SNAKE HAVE A BACKBONE SKIN#

So sharks heads are made from calcified cartilage so that their brain is protected. Areas that need more protection are made from calcified cartilage which has been calcified by calcium salts and which makes it much, much tougher. It gives their bodies shape and structure and protects their organs.ĭifferent parts of their bodies are made from different strengths of cartilage and some areas are more flexible than others. However, even though sharks have a cartilaginous skeleton it is still tough and does exactly the same job that a skeleton made from bone does. In fact, they don’t even have a single bone in their bodies!Ĭartilage is a tissue that is softer and more flexible than bone. As sharks are cartilaginous fish they have a skeleton that is made from cartilage rather than bone. They are also from the subclass Elasmobranchii which includes all sharks, rays, skates, and sawfish. However, sharks are from the class Chondrichthyes which means “cartilage fish”, as opposed to Osteichthyes which are bony fish. So, considering that sharks are one of the most powerful predators in the ocean and have an i ncredible bite force, it would be easy to assume that they must have tough bones. Many animals have a skeleton that is made from bone and it gives their body shape and gives them strength. Surely something as powerful and ferocious as a shark must have bones though? Join us as we learn all about sharks and discover whether they really do have bones. There’s one question that often comes up when we’re discussing sharks, and that is whether they have bones or not. However, despite how long they’ve been around there’s still more to learn about them. They’re often known as “living fossils” as they have roamed the oceans for more than 400 million years, meaning they were even around before the dinosaurs. Reptiles first appear in the fossil record 315 million years ago and were the dominant animals during the Mesozoic era, which lasted for 270 million years until the extinction of the dinosaurs.Sharks are some of the most notorious and feared predators in the world, found in every ocean and some rivers. Young reptiles can glide, walk, and swim within hours of birth. The soil temperature is critical during this time: It determines how many hatchlings will be male or female.

The other species lay their eggs in a simple nest, and leave. Only boas and pythons give birth to live young. Reptile reproduction also depends on temperature. Because of their slow metabolism and heat-seeking behavior, reptiles are cold-blooded. During cooler parts of the year they become inactive. Instead, they move into the sun or into the shade as needed. Without fur or feathers for insulation, they cannot stay warm on a cold day, and without sweat glands or the ability to pant, they cannot cool off on a hot one. Unlike birds and mammals, reptiles do not maintain a constant internal body temperature. Their metabolism depends on the temperature of their environment. All regularly shed the outer layer of their skin. They include crocodiles, snakes, lizards, turtles, and tor- toises.

#DOES A SNAKE HAVE A BACKBONE SKIN#

Reptiles are air-breathing vertebrates covered in special skin made up of scales, bony plates, or a combination of both.

Does a snake have a backbone