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EveryFish

Elasmobranch

A shark, ray or skate: the main branch of the cartilaginous fish, with five to seven gill slits on each side.

Also: Elasmobranchii

Elasmobranchs are the sharks, rays and skates, the cartilaginous fish other than chimaeras. They have five to seven separate gill slits on each side, uncovered, and fertilise their eggs inside the body. Males have claspers, formed from the pelvic fins, to pass sperm. Some lay eggs in leathery cases, often called mermaid's purses, while many give birth to live young after a long pregnancy. In India and much of Asia, sharks and rays are caught both as targets and as bycatch, and several species are now protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act.

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