Whose observations first linked sharks to cartilage instead of bone?
Quick Answer
Early comparative anatomy work by Georges Cuvier helped establish that sharks have skeletons made of cartilage, not bone. That feature is one reason sharks are classified with rays and skates in the cartilaginous fish group.
The Full Story
French naturalist Georges Cuvier was among the scientists who helped clarify that sharks belong to a separate group of fishes with cartilage-based skeletons. In the early 19th century, his comparative studies showed how different sharks were from bony fishes in structure and anatomy. This work helped establish the broader idea of cartilaginous fishes, which includes sharks, rays, and skates. Sharks still have mineralized tissues in parts of the body, but their internal skeleton is not made of true bone.
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