No, sharks do not have bones. Their skeletons are made of cartilage, the same flexible, “rubbery” material found in human ears and noses. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.
Unlike bone, which is a rigid, mineralized tissue rich in calcium phosphate, cartilage is made mostly of water and protein collagen, making it lighter, flexible, and less rigid.
Bonelessness is a defining characteristic of sharks. They belonged to a group known as cartilaginous fishes, along the likes of rays, skates, sawfish, and chimaeras (better known as ghost sharks ). As a family, they are among the oldest living groups of jawed vertebrates on the planet.
Do sharks have bones in their jaw?
Sharks don't even have jawbones in the classic sens