Agnatha

/æɡˈneɪðə/ noun

Definition

A class of jawless fish including lampreys and hagfish, some of the most ancient vertebrates.

Etymology

From Greek a- (without) + gnathos (jaw). Scientific taxonomic name for vertebrates that never developed true jaws.

Kelly Says

Lampreys are evolutionary time travelers—agnathans have existed essentially unchanged for 360 million years, which means they've survived multiple mass extinctions that wiped out dinosaurs and countless other species.

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