Tag: Animal anatomy

With over 30,000 known species, the diversity of fish is staggering, and their skeletal structures are no exception. A common misconception is to ask, "are fish bones all cartilage?", but the truth is a crucial division exists between fish with bony skeletons and those with cartilage.

A 2024 study on Nile tilapia found that their corneas are composed of type I collagen, providing essential strength and clarity. Do fish's eyes have collagen? Yes, they do, and this structural protein plays a critical and uniquely adapted role in their aquatic environment.

Despite a long-standing folk belief, the hard outer shell of an animal's hoof is not primarily made of collagen. The hard, visible part of the hoof is composed mostly of keratin, a fibrous protein also found in hair and nails. However, the internal structures anchoring the hoof wall to the bone are rich in collagen, which plays a vital role in hoof health.

By definition, the word “meat” has long encompassed more than just muscle tissue, including other edible parts of an animal. This fact immediately challenges the common assumption that is all red meat muscle, and reveals a more complex reality about what we consume as part of our diet. The answer lies in understanding both biological composition and culinary terminology.