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Evolutionary Aspects of Reproduction in Cyclostomes and Cartilaginous Fishes

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Evolutionary Biology of Primitive Fishes

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((NSSA,volume 103))

Abstract

In this paper we examine what is known of selected morphological and physiological aspects of reproduction in cyclostomes and chondrichthyan fishes and attempt to evaluate the contribution this makes to our knowledge of the ways in which reproduction may have evolved in these animals and in general. The reproductive biology of both groups is of exceptional interest in this context in view of their long phylogenetic history, their long separation from each other, and the diverse range of reproductive specializations they have adopted. Not only are both groups phylogenetically ancient, they both contain two subgroups which are themselves old. The cyclostomes are classified into myxinoids (hagfish) and petromyzonids (lampreys) and, according to Jarvik (1968), their probable respective ancestors, the heterostracans and cephalaspids, diverged during the Pre-Cambrian period, more than 600 million years ago. The chondrichthyans are subdivided into elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) and holocephalans (chimaeras and ratfishes). These are probably sister groups, sharing a common ancestor from which they diverged some 350 million years ago (see Dodd, 1983 for references). As might be expected, the basic difference in ancestry between cyclostomes and chondrichthyans is reflected in the reproductive structures and functions of the two groups.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Animal Biology, University College of North Wales, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK

    J. M. Dodd & M. H. I. Dodd

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  1. J. M. Dodd
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  2. M. H. I. Dodd
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Bamfield Marine Station, Bamfield, British Columbia, Canada

    R. E. Foreman

  2. University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

    A. Gorbman

  3. University College of North Wales, Bangor, UK

    J. M. Dodd

  4. University of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden

    R. Olsson

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© 1985 Plenum Press, New York

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Dodd, J.M., Dodd, M.H.I. (1985). Evolutionary Aspects of Reproduction in Cyclostomes and Cartilaginous Fishes. In: Foreman, R.E., Gorbman, A., Dodd, J.M., Olsson, R. (eds) Evolutionary Biology of Primitive Fishes. NATO ASI Series, vol 103. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9453-6_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9453-6_16

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