At one time, Chondrichthyes were thought to have diverged from other vertebrates before the evolution of bone. Now we have concluded that the Chondrichthyes diverged after the evolution of bone had started. What does this change demonstrate about the evolution of fishes?

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This change demonstrates that characteristics such as bone can be lost in the course of evolution, indicating that evolution is not always a process of adding features but can also involve losing them. This is evident in the case of Chondrichthyes, which are primarily cartilaginous fishes that diverged from bony ancestors.

At One Time, Chondrichthyes Were Thought to Have Diverged from Other