Agnatha

Evolution of jawless fish

Eptatretus hexatrema 15727711

Pacific lamprey facing right

Haikouichthys NT

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Panderodus

Agnatha is a superclass in the phylum Chordata, consisting of jawless fish. Modern members of Agnatha include the lampreys and hagfishes, both of which are characterized by their elongated bodies and the absence of true jaws. The term "Agnatha" is derived from the Greek words "a-", meaning without, and "gnathos", meaning jaw, thus literally translating to "without jaws". This group is considered to be the most primitive of the vertebrates.

Characteristics

Agnathans are distinguished by several key characteristics apart from the absence of jaws. They possess a cartilaginous skeleton, which is lighter and more flexible than bone. Their bodies are usually elongated and eel-like, and they have pore-like gill openings rather than the bony gill covers found in jawed fish. Agnathans also lack paired fins, which contributes to their distinctive mode of locomotion, often described as more serpentine than that of their jawed counterparts.

The skin of agnathans is smooth and scaleless, and many species secrete a mucous layer that helps protect them from parasites and infections. Their feeding mechanisms vary: lampreys have a toothed, funnel-like sucking mouth, which they use to attach to and feed on the blood of other fish, while hagfishes are scavengers, feeding on dead or dying fish with their tooth-like structures.

Evolution

The fossil record suggests that agnathans were once much more diverse and numerous than they are today. The earliest known agnathans date back to the Cambrian period, over 500 million years ago, making them some of the oldest known types of vertebrates. Early agnathans, such as the ostracoderms, were armored with bony plates, a feature not seen in their modern descendants.

The decline of the agnathans began in the Devonian period, often called the "Age of Fishes", as jawed vertebrates (gnathostomes) became more prevalent and diversified into a wide range of ecological niches. This shift is thought to have led to the decline of many agnathan species, as they were outcompeted by the more versatile jawed fish.

Classification

The classification of agnathans has undergone significant changes over time. Traditionally, they were grouped into a single class, Agnatha. However, modern phylogenetic studies have revealed that lampreys and hagfishes are not as closely related as once thought, leading to a split into two distinct classes within the superclass Agnatha:

• Lampreys (Petromyzontida)
• Hagfishes (Myxini)

This separation is based on significant differences in their anatomy, physiology, and molecular biology. Despite these differences, both groups share enough primitive features to be considered together as agnathans in a broader sense.

Ecological Role

Agnathans play a unique role in aquatic ecosystems. Lampreys, for example, can significantly impact fish populations, especially in areas where they are invasive and lack natural predators. Their parasitic lifestyle allows them to control the abundance of certain fish species, which can have cascading effects on the ecosystem.

Hagfishes, on the other hand, are important scavengers. By consuming dead and dying marine animals, they help recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem, contributing to the health and stability of their marine environments.

Conservation

Some species of lampreys are considered pests due to their impact on commercial fish populations, while others are threatened or endangered, facing risks from habitat loss, pollution, and overfishing. Conservation efforts for these species often involve habitat restoration, pollution control, and the development of sustainable fishing practices.

Hagfishes, with their less direct impact on human activities, have received less attention in terms of conservation. However, they are susceptible to the same environmental pressures as other marine organisms, and their unique ecological role makes their conservation important for maintaining marine biodiversity.