YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY

COURSE TITLE:
PLANT AND ANIMAL TAXONOMY

COURSE CODE:
STB 114

DEPARTMENT:
ND 1 SLT PART TIME

ASSIGNMENT:

PLANT AND ANIMAL TAXONOMY

OF AGNATHA

LECTURER:
MR. AJIPE JOHN OLAOLU
 GROUP
GROUP MEMBER NAMES AND YCT NUMBER
S/N NAMES YCT NUMBER

1. FAMAKINDE MICHEAL BOLUWATIFE YCT1678373043

2. SHOFADE TITILAYO GRACE YCT1676635035

3. OYEKAN AZEEZAH OLAYINKA YCT1679828751

4. FOLORUNSHO VICTORIA OMOLARA YCT1678876003

5. JOHN OGBODEY PATRICK YCT1682526513

6. EKUNKE ALICE AWUNA YCT1684315644

7. EMMANUEL EMMANUEL SUNDAY YCT1676633523

8. OGBEWI EVELYN CHIOMA YCT1684684438

9. RUFUS RHEMA CHUKWUEZUGO YCT1676544923

10. SULAIMON YEWANDE BISHARAH YCT1676746548

11. UGWOKE VICTOR CHIBUIKE YCT1686841896

12. MAFO JOHN EYITEMI YCT1680191281

13. IDOWU GBEMISOLA MARY YCT1680212663

14. OYEBAMIJI FATIMA ABOSEDE YCT1679320507

15. ALIMI MORENIKEJI AYOMIDE YCT1682970878

16. AKANJI ABIKE MARYAM YCT1680267459

17. OLORUNSOGO AISHAT BOLUWATIFE YCT1683625822

18. OKAFOR FAVOUR CHINENYE YCT1683294968

19. ADEOLA MUHAMMED OPEYEMI YCT1683469558

20. OLATUNDE MOYINOLUWA MARY YCT1683625778

 AGNATHA
The Agnatha, meaning “without jaws,” is a superclass of jawless fish within the phylum Chordata
and subphylum Vertebrata. It encompasses both living species, known as cyclostomes, and extinct
species like conodonts and ostracoderms. Agnathan, (superclass Agnatha), any member of the
group of primitive jawless fishes that includes the lampreys (order Petromyzoniformes), hagfishes
(order Myxiniformes), and several extinct groups. These jawless fish are closely related to
vertebrates with jaws, known as gnathostomes. Extensive molecular and embryological evidence
strongly supports the idea that the cyclostomes, or living agnathans, form a monophyletic group.
Studies involving rRNA, mtDNA, and embryonic development have provided substantial
confirmation for this hypothesis. The earliest known fossil evidence of agnathans dates back to the
Cambrian period. Today, there are two families of agnathans that still exist: lampreys and hagfish.
Together, these families comprise around 120 species. Hagfish, despite being jawless, are classified
as members of the subphylum Vertebrata because they lost their vertebrae secondarily. Prior to the
discovery of this characteristic through molecular and developmental studies, the classification
system introduced by Linnaeus included the group Craniata, which referred to both hagfish and
vertebrates. While some scientists argue that the living agnathans may only share superficial
similarities and that these characteristics are likely ancestral traits of ancient vertebrates, recent
taxonomic investigations have clearly established the close relationship between hagfish (Myxini
or Hyperotreti) and lampreys (Hyperoartii), with both being more closely related to each other than
to jawed fishes. Understanding the skeletal structure of agnatha provides valuable insights into the
evolutionary history and relationships of these fascinating jawless fish.

Agnatha is an infraphylum of jawless fish in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata,

consisting of both present (cyclostomes) and extinct (conodonts and ostracoderms) species. Among
recent animals, cyclostomes are sister to all vertebrates with jaws, known as gnathostomes.

Members of Agnatha are characterized by the absence of jaws derived from gill arches, although
hagfish and some fossil forms do have another type of biting apparatus that is not considered to
have been derived from gill arches. Other common characteristics of Agnatha that distinguish them
from the jawed fish include the absence of paired fins, the absence of pelvic fins, the presence of a
notochord both in larvae and adults, and seven or more paired gill pouches. There is a lack of a
vertebral centrum (a thick disk-shaped part of each vertebra), the presence of one or two vertical
semicircular canals, the covering of the gills with endoderm, the gills' internal direction, the gills'
openings to the surface being through pores rather than slits, and the gills' supportive arch skeleton
being fused with neurocranium (Nelson 1994). The bronchial arches supporting the gill pouches lie
close to the body surface. There is a light sensitive pineal eye (homologous to the pineal gland in
mammals). All living and most extinct agnathans do not have an identifiable stomach or any paired
appendages, although the hagfish and lampreys do have a tail and a caudal fin. Both hagfish and
lamprey have slimy skin without scales or plates. Some extinct agnathans reveal thick body plates.
The internal skeleton of the Agnatha is not bony but rather cartilaginous (made up of dense
connective tissue).
As characteristic of the class, hagfish and lampreys have a notochord that remains throughout life.
This notochord is the first primitive vertebral column. In the extant agnathans, fertilization and
development are both external, and there is no parental care. The lampreys and hagfish have
circular, jawless mouths and unpaired fins. They are ectothermic, with a cartilaginous skeleton, and
the heart contains two chambers. Being ectothermic or cold blooded, they do not have to warm
themselves through eating. Therefore, their metabolism is slow as well and they do not have to eat
as much. Although lampreys and hagfish are superficially similar, many of these similarities are
probably shared primitive characteristics of ancient vertebrates. Thus, modern classifications tend
to place hagfish into a separate group (such as the Myxini or Hyperotreti), with the lampreys
(Hyperoartii) being more closely related to the jawed fishes.

HAGFISHES
Hagfishes are minor pests of commercial food fisheries of the North Atlantic, but lampreys, because
of their parasitic habit, have been a serious pest of food fisheries in the Great Lakes in North
America, where they have reduced the numbers of lake trout and other species. Agnathans are
otherwise of little economic importance. The group is of great evolutionary interest, however,
because it includes the oldest known craniate fossils and because the living agnathans have many
primitive characteristics. Hagfishes locate their food by scent. Although some are known to eat
fishes immobilized in nets, the best-studied species, Myxine glutinosa, normally feeds on soft-
bodied invertebrates and larger dead animals. Myxine burrows into soft marine sediments and rests
with only the tip of the head protruding. During respiration, water enters through the nostril and
passes by a nasopharyngeal duct to the pharynx and gills. When stimulated by the scent of a dead
fish, Myxine leaves its burrow and swims against the current.

Diagram of a Hagfish
 GENERAL FEATURES
The body of the hagfish is soft-skinned, scaleless, and nearly cylindrical, with a single nostril at the
anterior end, overlying the mouth, and a low caudal fin around the tail. In some species the gills
open to the surface through separate pores; however, in others the gills open to a common duct,
which in turn opens to the surface through a single pore. The eyes are vestigial and covered by skin.
All of the approximately 70 known species are restricted to cold, marine bottom waters at depths
ranging from 10 metres (about 33 feet) in high latitudes to 1,300 metres (about 4,300 feet) in
equatorial oceans. Adults are 40 to 80 cm (about 15 to 30 inches) long. All species are superficially
similar except in the number and position of the gill apertures.

LAMPREYS
The extant lampreys, placed in the family Petromyzontidae of the order Petromyzontiformes
(Hyperoartii), are characterized by a primitive vertebrae made of cartilage and several other features
that separate them from hagfish: one or two dorsal fins, well developed eyes in adults, teeth on both
the oral disc and tongue (although not fossil forms), absence of barbels, separate sexes, and a larval
stage that undergoes a radical metamorphosis in freshwater. Like the hagfish, they have a slimy
skin without scales, unpaired fins, a notochord that is retained by the adult, and a circular, jawless
mouth. Lampreys are found in both freshwater and ocean environments, being anadromous (living
mostly in the oceans but returning to freshwater to breed). Most are parasitic. Because lampreys
resemble eels in external appearance, they sometimes are called lamprey eels, but otherwise are not
closely related to the eels, which are part of the jawed, bony fish.

Lamprey which number about 43 species, are found in cool, fresh, and coastal waters of all
continents except Africa. All species are rather similar. The body is smooth, scaleless, and eel-
shaped, with well-developed dorsal and caudal fins; the mouth is surrounded by a suctorial oral
disk bearing horny teeth. The eyes are well developed, and the single nostril is on the top of the
head. Lampreys possess seven pairs of external gills. Adults range from 15 to 100 cm (6 to 39
inches) long. Members of several lamprey species do not migrate to sea but feed in fresh water.
Petromyzon marinus dorsatus once seriously affected commercial fishing in the Great Lakes until
measures were undertaken to control it. The brook lampreys do not feed after metamorphosis but
mature sexually, reproduce, and die.
 Diagram of Lamprey

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CLASS AGNATHA

The Class Agnatha encompasses the earliest known vertebrates and is distinguished by several key
characteristics:

1. Absence of jaws: Agnatha lack true jaws, making them distinct from other vertebrate classes.

2. Lack of teeth, paired appendages, and exoskeleton: Agnatha do not possess teeth or paired
appendages like fins. Furthermore, they lack an exoskeleton.

3. Membranous roof in the skull: The skull of Agnatha has a membranous roof, which sets them
apart from other vertebrates with bony skulls.

4. Single median nasal opening: Agnatha have a single nasal opening located in the midline of
the skull.

5. Notochord and fibrous neural tube: The vertebral column of Agnatha consists of a persistent
notochord, a flexible rod-like structure, surrounded by a fibrous neural tube.

6. Multiple gill slits: Agnatha typically possess a significant number of gill slits, ranging from 7 to
14 pairs.

7. Absence of a conus in the heart: Unlike other vertebrates, Agnatha lack a conus, a specialized
region in the heart.
8. Persistent hypophysial sac: Agnatha have a persistent hypophysial sac, a structure related to
the pituitary gland.

9. Semicircular ducts in the ear: Agnatha possess one or two semicircular ducts within their ear,
aiding in balance and orientation.

10. Elongated kidneys and archinephric ducts: Agnatha have long kidneys and archinephric
ducts, which are involved in excretory functions.

11. Absence of genital ducts: Agnatha lack specific genital ducts for reproductive purposes.

12. Well-developed pineal apparatus: Agnatha exhibit a fairly well-developed pineal apparatus,
which is involved in regulating biological rhythms and light detection. 13. Larval stage and
endostyle: Agnatha typically undergo a larval stage that is microphagus, meaning they consume
small particles of food. They possess an endostyle similar to that found in protochordates.

ADDITIONAL GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CLASS AGNATHA INCLUDE:

Classification within the phylum Chordata and subphylum Vertebrata:

 Lack of a recognizable stomach in the digestive system.

 Complete absence of jaws, distinguishing them from jawed vertebrates.
 Paired fins are often absent or reduced in size.
 Thick bony scales and plates that were present in early species have been lost in modern
Agnatha.
 The skeleton is primarily cartilaginous rather than bony.
 The notochord, which is a characteristic of embryonic development, persists into adulthood.
 Presence of seven or more paired gill pouches for respiration and water filtration.

METABOLISM OF AGNATHA

Agnathans are ectothermic, meaning they do not regulate their own body temperature. Agnathan
metabolism is slow in cold water, and therefore they do not have to eat very much. They have no
distinct stomach, but rather a long gut, more or less homogeneous throughout its length. Lampreys
feed on other fish and mammals. Anticoagulant fluids preventing blood clotting are injected into
the host, causing the host to yield more blood. Hagfish are scavengers, eating mostly dead animals.
They use a row of sharp teeth to break down the animal. The fact that Agnathan teeth are unable to
move up and down limits their possible food types.

The metabolism of Agnatha, the jawless fish, exhibits certain characteristics due to their
ectothermic nature. Ectothermic organisms do not possess the ability to regulate their own body
temperature, and as a result, their metabolic rates are influenced by the temperature of their
environment. In cold water, Agnathans have a slower metabolic rate compared to warm-blooded
animals. Consequently, they require less food to sustain their energy needs.

One notable feature of Agnathan digestion is the absence of a distinct stomach. Instead, they have
a long gut that is relatively uniform throughout its length. This simplistic digestive system reflects
their primitive evolutionary status. The absence of a stomach suggests that Agnathans have a more
straightforward approach to nutrient absorption and digestion.

Lampreys, a group of Agnathans, have a feeding strategy that involves consuming other fish and
sometimes even mammals. They attach themselves to their host using their suction-like mouth and
rasping tongue. During feeding, lampreys inject anticoagulant fluids into the host’s body, which
prevents blood clotting. This action enables them to obtain a continuous flow of blood-rich nutrients
from the host. Lampreys rely heavily on this feeding method to meet their nutritional requirements.

On the other hand, hagfish, another group of Agnathans, have a different feeding behavior. They
are scavengers, primarily feeding on dead animals. With their row of sharp teeth, hagfish tear apart
the carcasses of their food sources. This feeding strategy allows them to access the nutrient-rich
tissues of deceased organisms. However, the structure of Agnathan teeth limits the types of food
they can consume. Unlike vertebrates with movable jaws, the teeth of Agnatha are unable to move
up and down, which restricts their ability to consume certain types of prey.

Overall, the metabolism and feeding habits of Agnatha demonstrate adaptations that enable these
jawless fish to survive and obtain necessary nutrients within their respective ecological niches.
Whether as predators like lampreys or scavengers like hagfish, Agnathans have developed distinct
strategies to acquire the energy they need for their survival and reproduction.

MORPHOLOGY OF AGNATHA

In addition to the absence of jaws, modern agnathans are characterised by absence of paired fins;
the presence of a notochord both in larvae and adults; and seven or more paired gill pouches.
Lampreys have a light sensitive pineal eye (homologous to the pineal gland in mammals). All living
and most extinct Agnatha do not have an identifiable stomach or any appendages. Fertilization and
development are both external. There is no parental care in the Agnatha class. The Agnatha are
ectothermic or cold blooded, with a cartilaginous skeleton, and the heart contains 2 chambers.

The morphology of Agnatha, the jawless fish, is characterized by several distinctive features.
Firstly, modern agnathans lack jaws, which sets them apart from their jawed counterparts. In
addition to the absence of jaws, they also lack paired fins, further differentiating them from other
fish groups.

Another defining characteristic of Agnatha is the presence of a notochord, a flexible rod-like

structure that provides support along the length of the body. The notochord is present in both larvae
and adult stages of agnathans. Additionally, these organisms possess seven or more paired gill
pouches, which are used for respiration.

Lampreys, a type of agnathan, have a light-sensitive structure called the pineal eye. This structure
is homologous to the pineal gland found in mammals and is involved in detecting light and
regulating biological rhythms.

Most agnathans, both living and extinct, do not possess a recognizable stomach or any appendages.
The absence of appendages further distinguishes them from other fish groups. Reproduction in
agnathans involves external fertilization and development, and there is no parental care exhibited
within the Agnatha class.

Agnathans are ectothermic, meaning they are cold-blooded. They lack the ability to regulate their
own body temperature and rely on the environment for heat regulation. Their skeletal system is
cartilaginous, providing support and flexibility. The heart of agnathans typically consists of two
chambers, which is a simpler cardiac structure compared to the multi-chambered hearts found in
some other vertebrates.

Regarding body covering, modern agnathans have skin without dermal or epidermal scales.
However, hagfish, a group of agnathans, possess copious slime glands in their skin. This slime
serves as their defense mechanism and can clog up the gills of potential predators, causing them
harm or death. In contrast, many extinct agnathans exhibited extensive exoskeletons composed of
either heavy dermal armor or small mineralized scales.

While most agnathans lack paired appendages, some fossil species, such as osteostracans and
pituriaspids, did possess paired fins. This trait was inherited by their jawed descendants and played
a significant role in the evolution of vertebrates with jaws.

Overall, the morphology of agnathans is characterized by their jawless nature, absence of paired
fins (excluding some fossils), presence of a notochord, gill pouches, cartilaginous skeletons, and
unique body coverings. These features highlight the distinctiveness of agnathans within the broader
classification of vertebrates.

BODY COVERING

In modern agnathans, the body is covered in skin, with neither dermal or epidermal scales. The skin
of hagfish has copious slime glands, the slime constituting their defense mechanism. The slime can
sometimes clog up enemy fishes' gills, causing them to die. In direct contrast, many extinct
agnathans sported extensive exoskeletons composed of either massive, heavy dermal armour or
small mineralized scales.
 APPENDAGES

Almost all agnathans, including all extant agnathans, have no paired appendages, although most do
have a dorsal or a caudal fin. Some fossil agnathans, such as osteostracans and pituriaspids, did
have paired fins, a trait inherited in their jawed descendants.

REPRODUCTION

Fertilization in lampreys is external. Mode of fertilization in hagfishes is not known. Development

in both groups probably is external. There is no known parental care. Not much is known about the
hagfish reproductive process. It is believed that hagfish only have 30 eggs over a lifetime. There is
very little of the larval stage that characterizes the lamprey. Lamprey are only able to reproduce
once. After external fertilization, the lamprey's cloacas remain open, allowing a fungus to enter
their intestines, killing them. Lampreys reproduce in freshwater riverbeds, working in pairs to build
a nest and burying their eggs about an inch beneath the sediment. The resulting hatchlings go
through four years of larval development before becoming adults.

EVOLUTION

Although a minor element of modern marine fauna, agnathans were prominent among the early fish
in the early Paleozoic. Two types of Early Cambrian animal apparently having fins, vertebrate
musculature, and gills are known from the early Cambrian Maotianshan shales of China:
Haikouichthys and Myllokunmingia. They have been tentatively assigned to Agnatha by Janvier.
A third possible agnathid from the same region is Haikouella, and a fourth, possibly older agnathan,
from the Early Cambrian, is Muzaffarabadmachli, from the Abbottabad Formation of Pakistan. A
possible agnathid that has not been formally described was reported by Simonetti from the Middle
Cambrian Burgess Shale of British Columbia. Conodonts, a class of agnathans which arose in the
early Cambrian, remained common enough until their extinction in the Triassic that their teeth (the
only parts of them that were usually fossilized) are often used as index fossils from the late
Cambrian to the Triassic. Many Ordovician, Silurian, and Devonian agnathans were armored with
heavy bony-spiky plates. The first armored agnathans—the Ostracoderms, precursors to the bony
fish and hence to the tetrapods (including humans)—are known from the middle Ordovician, and
by the Late Silurian the agnathans had reached the high point of their evolution. Most of the
ostracoderms, such as thelodonts, osteostracans, and galeaspids, were more closely related to the
gnathostomes than to the surviving agnathans, known as cyclostomes. Cyclostomes apparently split
from other agnathans before the evolution of dentine and bone, which are present in many fossil
agnathans, including conodonts. Agnathans declined in the Devonian and never recovered.
Approximately 500 million years ago, two types of recombinatorial adaptive immune systems
(AISs) arose in vertebrates. The jawed vertebrates diversify their repertoire of immunoglobulin
domain-based T and B cell antigen receptors mainly through the rearrangement of V(D)J gene
segments and somatic hypermutation, but none of the fundamental AIS recognition elements in
jawed vertebrates have been found in jawless vertebrates. Instead, the AIS of jawless vertebrates is
based on variable lymphocyte receptors (VLRs) that are generated through recombinatorial usage
of a large panel of highly diverse leucinerich- repeat (LRR) sequences. Three VLR genes (VLRA,
VLRB, and VLRC) have been identified in lampreys and hagfish, and are expressed on three
distinct lymphocytes lineages. VLRA+ cells and VLRC+ cells are T-cell-like and develop in a
thymus-like lymphoepithelial structure, termed thymoids. VLRB+ cells are B-celllike, develop in
hematopoietic organs, and differentiate into “VLRB antibody”-secreting plasma cells.

REPRODUCTION OF AGNATHA
Agnatha, a primitive group of jawless fish that includes lampreys and hagfishes, exhibits unique
reproductive strategies. While lampreys and hagfishes share some similarities in their reproductive
processes, there are notable differences between the two.

In lampreys, fertilization occurs externally. During the mating season, male lampreys release sperm
into the water, and females release their eggs. The sperm and eggs meet in the water, where fertilization
takes place. The exact mode of fertilization in hagfishes is not well understood, as their reproductive
behavior remains largely unknown.

Development in both lampreys and hagfishes is likely to be external. However, the details of the
developmental process are better understood in lampreys. After fertilization, lamprey eggs develop
externally in freshwater riverbeds. Working in pairs, lampreys construct nests and bury their eggs about
an inch beneath the sediment, providing some protection from predators and water currents. The eggs
develop and hatch into larvae, commonly known as ammocoetes, which have a distinctive appearance
with a round, jawless mouth and a well-developed notochord.

Interestingly, lampreys exhibit a unique reproductive trait. They are only able to reproduce once in their
lifetime. After the external fertilization process, the lamprey’s cloacas, the common opening for
excretion and reproduction, remain open. This allows a fungus to enter their intestines, leading to their
eventual demise. This phenomenon is known as semelparity, where an organism reproduces only once
and then dies.

In contrast, hagfish reproduction is not well documented, and there is limited knowledge about their
reproductive processes. It is believed that hagfishes have a low reproductive output, with females
producing a small number of eggs, estimated to be around 30 eggs throughout their lifetime. The
specific details of hagfish larval development are unclear, and further research is needed to
understand their reproductive behavior fully.

Overall, lampreys and hagfishes represent intriguing examples of reproduction within the Agnatha
group. Lampreys display a complex life cycle with distinct larval stages and semelparity, while
hagfishes have a relatively limited understanding of their reproductive biology. Further scientific
investigations are required to uncover the mysteries surrounding the reproductive strategies and
behaviors of these fascinating jawless fish.
 CLASSIFICATION OF AGNATHA
SUBPHYLUM AGNATHA IS DIVIDED INTO TWO CLASSES:

1. Ostracodermi

2. Cyclostomata

Class 1. Ostracodermi

1. Fossil jawless Agnatha of fresh water.

2. They had fish-like bodies with heavy head armour.

3. They had heavy bony dermal plates in the skin.

4. Some of the forms had one pair of fins behind the head.

5. They had single nostril on the top of the head.

6. There was a slit-like mouth at the extreme front end of the head. It was used for scooping
decaying matter from the floor of the lake.

7. The paired eyes were situated on the top of the head. Median pineal eye was also present.

8. The gill-slits were round and all have similar gill-pouches.

9. The endoskeleton was moderately ossified.

10. Two semi-circular canals were mostly present in the ear. Example: Cephalaspis.

Diagram of Cephalaspis
Class 2. Cyclostomata

1. Body is long, rounded and eel-like.

2. Skin is soft, smooth and without exoskeleton.

3. Mouth is suctorial devoid of functional jaws.

4. Nostril is single and median.

5. Paired fins or lateral appendages are absent.

6. Skeleton is cartilaginous.

7. Notochord is persistent.

8. Heart is two chambered and aortic arches are many.

9. Single gonad without duct.

10. Development is direct or indirect.

Order 1. Petromyzontia

1. Dorsal fin well developed and branchial basket complete.

2. The naso-hypophysial sac terminates posteriorly in a blind sac, i.e., it does communicate with
the mouth.
3. Mouth suctorial with rasping tongue.

4. Seven pairs of gill-slits.

5. The gills open into a respiratory tube below the oesophagus.

6. Development is indirect.

Example: Petromyzon.

Order 2. Myxinoidea

1. Dorsal fin absent.

2. Branchial basket is reduced.

3. The naso-hypophysial sac opens posteriorly in the mouth.

4. Mouth is terminal and surrounded by 6 small tentacles

5. Gill-alits 6-14 pairs.

6. Development is direct.

Examples:

1. Myxine. 2. Bdellostoma.

Diagram of Myxine
 The Class Agnatha can be further classified into several subgroups, each with its own unique
characteristics and representative examples:

1. CYCLOSTOMES:

Example: Myxini (hagfish)

Myxini, commonly known as hagfish, are eel-shaped marine animals that produce slime. They
possess a skull but lack a vertebral column, making them unique among living animals. Hagfish
are considered living fossils and are basal to vertebrates. The classification of hagfish has been a
topic of debate, with some considering them degenerate vertebrates closely related to lampreys,
while others suggest they represent a stage preceding the evolution of the vertebral column. The
original classification groups hagfish and lampreys together as cyclostomes (or Agnatha), the oldest
surviving clade of vertebrates alongside jawed-vertebrates (gnathostomes). Recent DNA evidence
supports the original classification.

Diagram of Myxine

2. HYPEROARTIA:

Example: Lamprey

Hyperoartia is a disputed group that includes modern lampreys and their fossil relatives. Lampreys
have a long fossil record, with early forms like Endeiolepis and Euphanerops existing during the
Late Devonian period. The placement of Hyperoartia among jawless vertebrates is still a matter of
debate. Traditionally, they were grouped together with hagfishes as cyclostomes. However, recent
proposals suggest that lampreys are more closely related to certain “ostracoderms” (jawless
armored “fishes”) or other extinct jawless fish. Resolving their exact relationships with other
vertebrate groups remains an ongoing scientific inquiry.
 Diagram of Lamprey

3. MYLLOKUNMINGIIDA:

Example: Haikouichthys

Myllokunmingiida is a primitive order of agnathans endemic to the Cambrianaged Maotianshan

Shales lagerstätte in China. These creatures are the earliest known craniates, which are chordates
with a skull made of hard bone or cartilage. The group includes genera such as Haikouichthys,
Myllokunmingia, and Zhongjianichthys.

Diagram of Haikouichthys
4. CONODONTA:

Example: Conodonts (extinct)

Conodonts were eel-like agnathans that existed from the Cambrian to the beginning of the Jurassic
period. They exhibited a wide range of lifestyles, with some species being filter feeders and others
being macropredators. Initially, these animals were known only through microscopic tooth
structures called “Conodont elements.” Later, body fossils of conodonts were discovered, providing
insight into their true appearance. Conodonts serve as excellent index fossils due to their rapid
evolution and relatively short lifespan. They experienced peaks in diversity during the middle of
the Ordovician and mid-late Devonian but declined during the Carboniferous. They became
relatively rare in the Permian but experienced a resurgence in the early Triassic before going extinct
at the end of the period.

Diagram of Conodonts

5. OSTRACODERMS:

Examples: Pteraspidomorphi (extinct), Thelodonti (extinct), Anaspida (extinct),

Cephalaspido-morphi (extinct)

Ostracoderms are an extinct group of early jawless fish. They exhibited extensive shielding of the
head and possessed armoured bodies covered in dermal bone. Some ostracoderms had hypocercal
tails, which aided in movement through water. The group includes subgroups such as Heterostraci,
Astraspida, Arandaspida (within Pteraspidomorphi), Thelodonti, Anaspida, and Cephalaspido-
morphi. These fish occupied various ecological niches, with some preferring reef ecosystems.
Ostracoderms lived in both freshwater and marine environments, appearing during the Ordovician
period and going extinct during the Late Devonian extinction event.
 Diagram of Anaspida

TYPES OF AGNATHA
1. CEPHALASPIS:

Classification:
Phylum: Chordata
Group: Craniata
Subphylum: Agnatha
Class: Cyclostomata
Order: Myxinoidea
Genus: Cephalaspis

 Cephalaspis is a bottom dweller and in- habits the shallow waters.

 It excavates through mud and sucks in minute food particles that enter through the mouth.
 It has a small fish-like body. The body is divisible into head, trunk and Tail.
 The head is dorsoventrally flattened and remains covered by a stout bony carapace.
 The trunk is protected by bony plates which are oriented vertically.
 A median dorsal fin is present in the posterior part of the trunk.
 The tail is heterocercal and is provided with small scales.
 The head shield is formed of a single bony piece which is projected posteriorly in the form
of two lateral horns, one on each side of the head.
 There are two lobed pectoral fins attached to the lateral A pair of closely placed eyes is
present on the top of the head.
 A single median nostril is situated immediately in front of the eyes.
 A small pineal opening is placed in between the eyes.
 Two prominent dorso-lateral depressions called the lateral sensory fields have been
observed.
 The ventral surface of the head is protected by a few small fine plates.
 The mouth is a circular opening lying at the anterior end of the ventral surface.
  The mouth is devoid of biting jaws.
 The gill-slits are round openings and are arranged in two semi-circles on either side of the
mouth.
 There are about ten pairs of gill-slits.
 Internal anatomy of Cephalaspis is not completely known.

Cephalaspis fish

2. MYXINE:
Classification:
Phylum: Chordata
Group: Craniata
Subphylum: Agnatha
Class: Cyclostomata
Order: Myxinoidea
Genus: Myxin

 Myxine is commonly known as hagfish. It is found buried in the sea bottom. Myzine has a
wide distribution along sea coasts of both Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, occurring in the war
of Northern Europe, North Atlantic, America, Chili and Japan, etc.
 Body is eel-like, measuring about 2 feet in length and differentiated into head, trunk and tail.
 The surface of the body is soft and smooth without scales. The mouth is terminal and
surrounded by soft lips.
 Buccal funnel and jaws are absent. Bran- chial basket is also reduced. Lateral to the mouth
are four pairs of short tentacles supported by skeletal rods.
 Nostril is single, lies very close to the mouth and opens terminally.
 Single pineal eye is visible on the top of the head.
 Paired eyes are vestigeal or de- generated due to bottom dwelling habit Six pairs of gills
which do not open separately to the outside but open by a single external gill opening.
 Single median fin runs from about the middle of the ventral surface extending around the tail
region.
 Large mucous glands are present opening by mucous pores.
  Herma-phroditio with single ovotestis, anterior part being ovary and posterior testis. (These
animals are parasitic or quasi-parasitic because they are sometimes found within the bodies
of their prey, which are fishes of various types).

Diagram of Myxine

3. BDELLOSTOMA:

Classification:
Phylum: Chordata
Group: Craniata
Subphylum: Agnatha
Class: Cyclostomata
Order: Myxinoidea
Genus: Bdellostoma

 Bdellostoma is also commonly known as hagfish. It is found buried in the bottom mud of
sea.
 It occurs off the Pacific coasts of both North and South America, South Africa and New
Zealand.
 The long eel-like body has a soft integument without scales. The mouth is terminal
surrounded by soft lips.
 Buccal funnel and jaws are absent. Four pairs of short tentacles supported by skeletal rods
are present on the lateral sides of the mouth.
 The single nostril lies very close to the mouth and opens terminally.
 Single pineal eye is present on the top of the head. Paired eyes are vestigial or degenerated
due to the bottom dwelling habit.
 The gill openings are 6-14 in number which all open independently by round pores.
 The median fin is confined to the caudal region.
 Large slime or mucous glands are present opening by mucous pores.
 Hermaphroditic Single ovotestis, the anterior part being ovary and the posterior testis.
 It is parasitic or quasi-parasitic. Nocturnal feeders.
 During the day time they live buried in the sea bottom mud.